


Divine Messenger

by SkiaWolf



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Angels, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amnesia, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Temporary Amnesia, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-09-23 09:30:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 200,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9649769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkiaWolf/pseuds/SkiaWolf
Summary: It was during his usual nightly routine that a man named Sorey came across the last thing he would ever expect; a painfully beautiful angel, injured and unconscious.The situation only became more complex after the angel's awakening. Clearly in danger and there for a specific reason but with no memory to explain any of it, the two must work together to overcome this, both learning more about themselves in the process.





	1. Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> I have been SO excited to upload this! I believe I thought of the idea about mid-November, then wrote the first chapter late December?
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

The setting sun marked the end of a long, challenging day at work. Or at least, it was _supposed_ to be the end. The sound of papers still broke the silence of an office as the man who held them shuffled through, eyes scanning quickly from left to right. This gaze did not shift when there was a knock on the door, but the man still spoke.

“Come in!"

A woman peered her head around the door, pushing a few strands of blonde hair away from her blue eyes. They looked a little concerned. “Sorey, you should go home now. You were in here early today.”

“I'm fine, Alisha,” Sorey replied, looking at her for just a moment with a smile, before the majority – but not all – of his attention went back to reading. “Criminals won't catch themselves, you know.”

She wasn't pleased with this answer. She walked over, the door closing on its own behind her, and snatched the papers out of his hand.

“Hey! That's not professional, you know.”

“It's not as though you are always very professional to me.” Her expression softened. “You might not feel it now, but Sorey, if you carry on overworking yourself, you'll really make yourself far too ill and exhausted. You need a day off, Sorey. Two, _three.._. It would be much more harmful to the station if you had to step out for a far longer time after damaging yourself. You've worked enough overtime to earn yourself some time off. We all want you to.”

“I'm fine, honestly.”

“Maybe now. At least stop working overtime for a while if you won't take time off?”

Sorey hesitated, but sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “All right, I guess I don't have much of a choice.”

“Thank goodness. Get out of here and have a nice evening.”

“You too, Alisha.”

The two friends hugged briefly before Sorey took his leave.

Most days were like this, but to Sorey, it wasn't repetitive. He loved his work in the police force. Ever since he was a child, he always had a brave personality and a will to do good. It was no wonder at all that a job which helped others so greatly would be his calling. He worked hard at it, _too_ hard, but that was because it was his duty, and one which he enjoyed. He wouldn't change his life for the world. As for Alisha, he was never bothered by her efforts to convince him like this. He knew that she was only looking out for him, and her words always had great sense behind them. She was, after all, very wise. The two had become great friends soon after their meeting, their friendship often feeling as though it was fated to exist.

He could admit that he was generally very stubborn when it came to looking out for himself. He was perfect at watching out for others, assisting them and making them happier, and was just as so with more serious matters in his line of work, where lives could often be at stake. Yes, he was able to look after himself to an extent and was fully capable of protecting himself, but often times, he forgot about his own well-being when his mind was focused on others. There had often been times in his life where something had just made him stop, take a deep breath, and take a moment to grab some water, slow down and watch himself. He had great stamina, but even if it _was_ great, it couldn't hold out forever without enough rest.

Like he often did when he finished work late, he stopped by the convenience store to grab a large pack of ready-made sushi, took the ten-minute walk back to his apartment and sat down to eat the food he bought. By now, it was fairly dark; it was 8:00pm when he glanced over at the clock. He finished his food, grabbed a quick drink and jogged upstairs to change into a pair of black tracksuit bottoms and a white vest top.

Running was most enjoyable for him in the silence of night. He appreciated the beauty of lampposts lighting the eerie streets, the moon and stars shining in a clear sky. The cool breeze was also perfect, allowing his time of exercise to wind him down after his shift. He liked the liveliness of the city, but not during a run. This was the time he either just wanted to appreciate the silence, or give himself said silence to think over his work.

At a steady pace, he took his usual route around blocks to arrive at the town's largest park. Stretches of grass allowed children and pets to run around to their heart's desire, whilst lines of benches surrounded by trees and planted flowers made the park very enjoyable for adults to relax. At this time, it was very quiet, the only people he came across being other runners, the odd couple walking hand in hand as they pointed at the stars or, lastly, dog walkers.

He slowed down his pace as he turned the cap of his bottle of water and gulped it down, cooling him off further. His eyes wandered to the moon briefly. It was particularly beautiful that night, the stars seeming to shine more so than usual. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, either. He smiled before looking back down to put the cap back on his bottle. He twisted it slowly as he looked straight past it onto the floor. In front of his feet was a single, white feather.

Feathers weren't exactly anything out of the ordinary, but this one caused him to bend down on one knee to pick it up. He held it delicately in fear of tearing it, but it seemed stronger than that of a bird despite being so soft; it appeared like the wing of a dove, but it was larger, and it seemed to glow as though it was its own supernatural light source. Its beauty was like that of the moon he had been admiring just a couple of minutes prior.

When he rose back to his feet, yet another feather was spotted in the corner of his eye. He placed the bottle of water down at the edge of the path to still have one hand free, allowing the other to carefully hold the first feather, before he walked over to the other. Another four followed, closer and closer to each other, before Sorey eventually found the source.

A magnificent wing, the largest he had ever seen on any creature, was sprawled onto the grass from behind one of the rose bushes of the park. With as silent footsteps as he could muster, Sorey crept around to see what the wing belonged to.

When he saw that the correct word was ' _who_ ' as opposed to ' _what_ ', the feather still held lightly in his hand was released in shock, fluttering down onto the freshly cut grass without a sound.

The wing connected to the figure of a human laid on their front, on a diagonal from where Sorey was standing. The outfit was unusual; white trousers with a turquoise edge and a black and gold pattern on each leg, the top the same turquoise on the trousers, with padded upper arms and a cape split into two, sprawled out either side of him. Of course, the outfit was nowhere near as unusual as who it belonged to. The only part he could see of this figure were pale hands, as well as equally pale aquamarine hair with brighter ends.

Sorey was simply frozen in place for a minute, no clue as to what to do. Step closer, or just walk away or pretend this never happened?

Of course, he started walking forward. He never walked away from anything.

“Um, hey… Can you hear me?” he asked awkwardly, placing a hand on their shoulder. “Are you okay?”

When he received the lack of reply he had expected, he brushed away hair from their face to see if their eyes were open. He saw that they weren't, but that wasn't all he took in. Even from just a side profile, beauty shone bright, and Sorey found himself carefully turning their body over so that they rested on their back.

He was able to see now that the figure was a boy, yet the face was still beautiful with an air of femininity. Blue ends of hair swept past long, lightly-coloured eyelashes, a small nose matching a round face, pink lips inhaling and exhaling breath softly… Sorey found himself swallowing. But he was soon startled out of his trance when he noticed that the side of his head which had previously been completely away from view was stained in dry blood, matting strands of hair together. Just in time with this realisation, there was a sharper intake of breath in the angel's slumber, as though pain had just shot through his body and it was reacting to it on its own.

His protective instincts of a police officer kicked in automatically despite the fact that he was faced with an angel. He rose to his feet, thanking the Heavens when he saw a young girl walking her dog.

“Excuse me? Someone is hurt over here, can you call...”

His words trailed off. An ambulance? This kind of situation would be all over the news; he couldn't just bring the angel out into the open.

“Someone is hurt?” she echoed, jogging over and pulling a phone out of her purse. “Do you want me to call an ambulance?”

“No, it's okay, he's-”

The girl stopped walking. She sighed, looking irritated. “There's no one there. Have you got nothing better to do than prank people? Geez… Come on, boy.”

Sorey watched her walk away with her dog. He looked back down at the still figure with a confused expression. No one there? Surely he wasn't going insane?

“No, you're definitely there,” he murmured, lightly brushing a hand across the top of the angel's wings. He shuffled slightly, but still didn't wake. Though he didn't seem to be in utter agony, the angel's obvious injuries were still very worrying, even with how extraordinary the whole situation was. “What… What do I even do?”

He couldn't just wait out here in the park, waiting for the angel to wake up. He could have been there for hours.

After that thought, it barely took any time at all for him to make up his mind. He bent down, gently pulling the body closer to him before lifting it up, one arm supporting the legs, the other supporting the shoulders. Despite the large wings, which had almost gotten dangerously close to his eyes for a moment, the angel was still light. The wings didn't seem to make a difference.

He realised that to others, he'd likely be seen to be carrying nothing, but if the angel took a while to wake, Sorey had no choice but to take him home. Who knew how long he'd just be crouched there in the dark?

He stepped onto the path cautiously, peering around to see if anyone was there before quickening his pace, not chancing a jog or run in case he jolted the angel too much. If he hadn't been on the police force, he wouldn't have cared less about what people thought, but he would much rather not have others recognise him and wonder how someone with that level of insanity had his job.

Luckily, the streets were never too busy on weekdays, and most who passed him were too distracted by peers to even notice him. He chanced quickening his pace just a little further when he was around the corner, breathing out in relief when his apartment came into view. After he climbed the stairs with care, he mumbled an apology before shifting the angel over one shoulder, allowing his free hand to type in the passcode. He opened the door, and was finally able to ease the angel down onto his sofa. Apparently still undisturbed from his state of unconsciousness, the angel curled slightly on his side, hands resting by his face, wings wrapping around him.

Sorey could only watch in bewilderment for an amount of time he couldn't have put a number on. The true realisation of what was occurring was hitting him.

There was a difference between having a life-long belief in things out of the ordinary and finding a live angel at the park you visited everyday. How did he get here? _Why_ was he here? Why could only Sorey see him? An endless list of questions, with no answers to any of them.

Sorey sighed, brushing his hair back. This was the last thing he expected out of his rather ordinary life. He supposed that the only thing he could do was wait for the angel to wake up and explain the situation to him. That thought sounded a lot calmer than he currently felt.

_'Wait, I can't go to work with him left on my couch,'_ he thought to himself, suddenly realising that if the angel didn't wake up by the next morning, he'd be left on his own. Sorey grabbed his mobile off the coffee table and tapped Alisha's number. She picked up after three rings.

“ _What kind of special occasion has caused you to ring me?”_

“Alisha, I can't come in tomorrow. And, uh, maybe not the day after, either.”

“ _Oh, what's wrong?”_

“I, um, I'm suddenly really fatigued and such. Hit me bad. Guess I should've listened to you sooner.”

“ _Uh-huh,”_ she said slowly. She didn't sound fully convinced. _“Well, I've already said that we're doing great at the moment and have plenty of staff in...”_

“So is that all right? Sorry for the short notice.”

“ _You're more than deserving of it, but… Sorey, is everything all right?”_

“Everything's fine!” he said a little quickly. “Apart from, you know, that fatigue.”

“ _Right… If you need help with anything or something is troubling you, I'm here.”_

“I know, thank you. I'll be back as soon as possible.”

“ _Feel better soon.”_

“Thank you, bye.”

He visibly cringed when ending the call. He could only be glad that he was on such close and great terms with Alisha. Luckily, she probably didn't expect him to be staying off for no reason – she likely thought that something more serious had happened to him.

' _I guess it_ can _be seen as more serious,'_ Sorey thought to himself, eyes landing back on the angel. A thought crossed his mind, and not even a minute later, he returned from his bedroom with a white blanket over one arm. He draped it over the angel, before he then grabbed some wipes from the bathroom. He crouched by the sofa, lifting the angel's head gently so he was able to dab away the blood from his skin and hair. A small smile was on Sorey's face as he did so. When the blood was cleared, the angel looked a lot more peaceful, though still a little disturbed.

Deciding that it was likely best to get some rest himself until the morning, Sorey entered his bedroom, removing his shirt and replacing his trousers with a pair of pyjama bottoms. But when he was in bed, he didn't shut his eyes; they instead stared up at the ceiling, often glancing at his closed door.

He hadn't expected that the first day he would have taken off from his job would be due to an angel. Though surprisingly, he now felt more relaxed than he would have expected, even somewhat excited for the angel's awakening.

Perhaps his heart really had wanted something more to happen in his life after all, even if it _was_ the unexpected.


	2. Awakened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the lost angel awakens the following morning, Sorey realises that the situation is even more complex than he originally thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your kind words on chapter one! I'm not sure exactly how many chapters I'll be writing for this considering I have a tendency to think of new ideas as I go along, but I'm definitely enjoying writing it.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

_Screaming rang in his ears, the exact words unclear. They seemed desperate. There were also shouts as well as screams, ear-splitting noises that all came together like incoherent chaos. It was impossible to separate them from one another, or make sense of any of it. The only clear thing about the noise was that wherever this was, it was a dangerous place. Whether it had always been this way, he did not know. All he_ did _know was that he needed to get out of there, out of this nightmare which seemed far too real._

And soon enough, he did.

The angel's eyes opened slowly, blinking to focus the blur around him. He blinked again, only this time, it was out of confusion.

 _'Where am I?'_ he thought to himself, too wary to speak aloud. His body ached greatly and there was a particular more intense pain on the side of his head, but it wasn't enough to stop him from moving. His curiosity was a large distraction in itself. He pulled away a blanket which had been lain across his body and took his time to stand up on his feet. His eyes scanned over his arms. His clothes were a little dirty, with the odd dark stain here and there. He was surprised that he had been able to lie on the sofa; at least, if it was someone else who had allowed him to do so. He had no idea where this place was.

It was a simple apartment, nothing too out of the ordinary, but it still had a comforting air of homeliness to it. A television was stood against the wall with a couple of gaming consoles besides it. When he walked over to them, he saw that most of the games lined on a bookcase seemed to be gathering dust, but when rising on his toes slightly to look at the higher shelves, he saw that this definitely wasn't the case for a collection of books. They were mostly non-fictional books of history and archaeology, but a few were fictional; most of these were crime novels.

The angel was just about to pull out one of the books when the sound of a door opening startled him. The book slid to the floor with a startling noise, but the human which had entered was certainly not taking notice of that. He was staring at the angel, who did the exact same. A tense silence fell momentarily.

“Um… Hi,” the human greeted. The angel only continued to stare, unsure of what to say. “I, uh, brought you back here. I'm Sorey.”

“Where did you find me?” the angel asked eventually. There were a thousand more questions he could have potentially asked, but he couldn't blurt them all out at once.

“At a park about ten minutes away from here. You were unconscious and seemed to be hurt, so I didn't want to leave you out in the open. Do you know how you got there?”

The angel shook his head. His nightmare seemed to replay itself in his mind, and fear must have shown on his face, for Sorey let his guards down and walked over.

“Hey, it's all right,” he said when the angel backed away from an attempt to touch him. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

The angel managed to meet Sorey's gaze, if not warily. Sorey had imagined the angel's eyes to be a bright blue, perhaps because of the tips of his hair, but the beautiful purple Sorey saw instead now seemed much more fitting. Their irreplaceable beauty seemed to hold a sense of familiarity in them.

“What's your name?” Sorey questioned, trying to ease the angel's fear, but the question only seemed to arise further distress.

“I don't know,” the angel said, arms hugging his stomach, eyes cast back on the floor. “I don't know anything.”

“You don't remember anything at all?”

The angel shook his head. “It's not like I have no memory whatsoever, but… It's all blurred together. I can't make any of it out.”

“Right, I see,” Sorey said slowly, panicking slightly. How was he supposed to deal with a situation which was already completely bizarre if the angel was just as clueless? He tried to not let it show, however. He didn't want to contribute more stress to the situation. “Why don't you sit down for now, just while we figure this out? Would you like anything to eat or drink?”

The angel opened his mouth, ready to say no, but he shut it for a moment. It was clear that he was contemplating the decision, aware that he had nowhere else to go. And so he nodded.

Sorey smiled, nodding his head in the direction to the kitchen. “Come on, then.”

He gestured to one of two stools by a kitchen island when they were inside, watching for a moment as the angel sat himself down. The wings seemed less large when being controlled; though he stretched them out occasionally, they were mostly folded against his back.

“Do you...” Sorey started, but stopped. He highly doubted that the angel had a list of food he was fond of if he couldn't remember his own name. “I'll make us pancakes. You can't go wrong with things that are sweet.”

The angel nodded. He didn't seem to be listening; his fingers fidgeted nervously, eyes watching the sky out of the window. Sorey couldn't blame him. He was actually surprised that he was keeping such a level head himself. Perhaps it was the pitiful fear and confusion of the angel which was causing it.

Several minutes later, he placed two plates of pancakes down in front of the stools with two mugs of tea.

“Thank you,” the angel said quietly, placing both hands around the mug and blowing gently on the tea before sipping it. _Cutely,_ Sorey added in his mind. The pancakes were also apparently a great idea, for the angel finally smiled again at the taste. “These are really good.”

Sorey grinned. “I'm glad you think so!”

The rest of the meal was ate in silence. Small talk wasn't exactly achievable when he wasn't even eating with a human.

He needed to figure something out about this. Fast, too. He felt a lot less pressured before the angel had woken up, considering he didn't have a clue that he would have to deal with amnesia. But now… How exactly would he be able to help the angel when he had nothing to go by?

He had to think over this carefully. There had to be _something_ he could do. He never let things get in his way like this.

“I'm causing you stress, aren't I?” the angel suddenly said, his voice somehow even quieter.

“Huh?”

“I can see it in your face.” The angel looked down at the now empty mug in his hands, hair falling over his face. “I mean, it's understandable. You're a human who has suddenly had this situation thrown at you, and how can you help me when I don't even know how to help myself?”

“Hey, it's fine! Why would I bring you back here if I wasn't willing to help?”

“You brought me back here with no idea that I would have no memories. You seem like a great person and I don't want to be a liability for you.”

“I'm not going to deny that I didn't expect the situation to be this… Unfortunate,” Sorey responded. He placed a hand on the angel's shoulder, which made him finally meet Sorey's gaze. “But I can't just throw you out now. I truly want to help and that _doesn't_ make you a liability. I'd regret this for the rest of my life if I didn't do anything now.”

“I appreciate it, I really do. But I don't know exactly _how_ you could help.”

“I ... don't either, yet,” Sorey admitted. There was no use lying. “But small steps, okay? Let's start with a name for you.”

“A name?”

“Well, I can't just refer to you as 'the angel' or 'aquamarine-haired cutie' in my mind.”

“So you're going to give me a name?” He raised an eyebrow. “What am I, a dog?”

“Steve.”

“ _Steve?”_

“Too basic? How about… uh … Luzrov Rulay.”

“Now you're just being ridiculous.” But the angel burst out laughing, hand over his mouth. It was a beautiful sight after the insecurity from minutes ago.

“I have no idea where that came from. Okay, serious, serious… How about I just call you Angel? Not 'the angel', just Angel with a capital 'A'.”

“That's boring.”

“But it's actually a guy's name, you know! Probably a million times less common than Steve, but a bit more common than Luzrov Rulay. And I'm pretty certain you'd still look angelic if you were a human, so...”

“Fine fine, Angel it is. I hope I can remember my name soon so I can at least ditch this one.”

“I'm insulted. Where did this sudden attitude come from?”

“From you treating me like a dog.”

“Touché,” Sorey laughed. He then took note of Angel's clothes; he hadn't noticed it completely due to his state of being overwhelmed, but now that both of them were more relaxed, he noticed the dirt on the material. “Would you like to have a shower and I'll get those washed for you?”

“Do you have anything I could wear instead?”

“Yeah, I'll find something. Come with me!” When they both stood, it was then that noticed something else more than he had done previously; their size difference.

“Why are you grinning?”

“Nothing important.”

The two entered Sorey's room, Angel watching as the other searched through his drawers.

“Something small… Something small… Do I even own anything small enough?"

“I can hear you.”

Sorey only gave him a thumbs up over his shoulder. After several more moments of searching, Sorey eventually pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a plain white T-shirt. After yet another moment of thought, he grabbed a belt.

“These aren't exactly old, so they might be a bit big,” Sorey explained. From the roll of Angel's eyes, it was quite obvious that an explanation wasn't needed.

“That's fine,” Angel responded. He followed as Sorey led him to the bathroom and placed his clothes down to one side. After a brief explanation as to how the shower worked, Sorey hovered by the door.

“Call me if you, you know, need anything.”

“Thank you,” Angel responded. As soon as Sorey had left, thoughts were beginning to race through Angel's mind again as he began to undress. He knew that he must have been here for a reason, but what? His eyebrows furrowed, hand rubbing his forehead. There was no use trying to force back memories which just could not be remembered; the most his vain efforts would do would bring him pain.

He was distracted from his thoughts soon enough, but not in a way that he would have liked – just as he was about to step into the shower, his eyes averted to the mirror to his left. It froze his movements, causing him to turn slowly. It wasn't as though his body was purely black and blue. It was just surprising to see bruises litter several parts of his body, as well as the odd cut here and there. He had noticed the pain, of course, but it was often surprising how much it could be suppressed when your mind was running wild. It seemed to hit him like bricks now. Aching muscles, stings across the scratched skin, pain around his ribs... Clearly he had been through some kind of Hell, but when, why and how were questions which couldn't be answered.

He hurried into the shower. Again, there was no use worrying.

His body relaxed from the hot water, wings spreading upwards to catch the droplets. He sighed, fatigue and tight muscles in his shoulders easing. He winced when water hit directly into the side of his head, however; when he felt under his hair, he could feel a larger cut than any other inflicted there. It must have been bleeding previously, so it was a wonder as to how exactly he did not have blood staining his hair. He smiled when he thought that maybe, just maybe, Sorey had dabbed it away whilst he was asleep.

The thought of Sorey made him step out of the shower and begin to dry himself. He felt a lot more comfortable in the human's presence. Throwing on the clothes he was given and fastening the belt around the trousers, which he had to pull up above his hips, he then picked up his own clothes and walked over to the door living area.

In the living area, Sorey looked up from some papers he was sorting through when Angel entered; the footsteps were silent, but he was able to sense Angel's presence. He smiled in greeting, but it turned into more of a smirk when he turned his head slightly in a completely obvious way to 'conceal' laughter.

“What? What's so funny?”

“They're just … really baggy,” Sorey said. “It's a huge difference to what you were wearing before.”

“It's not my fault you're bigger.”

“Really though, we don't know how long you'll be staying here for...” Sorey pondered aloud. “Maybe we should go get you some clothes. No one can see you except me, so it'd be fine!”

“Oh, you don't have to do that for me.”

“I earn more than I need and rarely spend it,” Sorey shrugged.

“But-” Sorey's encouraging smile made him hesitate, followed by a sigh. “Oh all right, fine.”

“Come on, we'll go now!”

But the positive, excitable tone wasn't to last. As soon as Sorey opened the door, Angel's eyes widened, taking a couple of steps back.

“What? What's the matter, Angel?” Sorey asked, concerned. He immediately closed the door at the discomfort Angel suddenly expressed.

“There's something out there,” Angel answered, hand over his chest. “It's heavy… I don't know what it is, but…”

“You … feel something?”

Angel nodded. “It's like this pressure weighing down on my chest. Some sort of anger, hatred… It feels evil.” Both hands were on Angel's chest now, confusion and fear written clearly on his face. “I'm sure I should know what it is, but...”

“We'll leave it for now,” Sorey said. “Until it's not so overwhelming. Okay?”

“Okay,” Angel nodded, unable to say much more.

Sorey's voice managed to sound calm, but he felt anything but so inside. He gently took one of Angel's arm into his hand, eyes inspecting a dark bruise inflicted there. He swallowed, words lodged in his throat. He might have been uncertain of almost everything, but there was one thing that he _could_ be sure of; there was something incredibly dangerous going on, and Angel had a huge role to play in that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	3. Into the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel remains in Sorey's home for a few days, in which Sorey learns more about Angel's personality, whilst Angel learns more about Sorey's life. 
> 
> After plucking up the courage and feeling more at ease, the two leave the house for the first time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming back for another chapter!
> 
> I'm taking it somewhat slowly at the moment, reason being is that I don't want it to be rushed. I want his memories to return back gradually rather than all at once, and I want time to develop their relationship, the plot etc. But I feel like the pace is reasonable, and hopefully it's enjoyable to read!

The overwhelming fear and incredible dread that Angel felt from the outside world kept him in in Sorey's home over the next few days. Sorey was certain that Angel wouldn't have been so frightened if he knew exactly what the heavy feeling was; it was the fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of what exactly was out there which caused his heart to pound.

But it wasn't all negative. Those three days spent in Sorey's home allowed Angel to become more used to his surroundings and help his nerves – despite the fear he'd felt outside the door – to slowly reduce. Taking another two days off work was also easy enough for Sorey, and it allowed his story to not exactly seem more believable (to Alisha, at least), but the reason for it being told seeming more serious. He had never actually had so many consecutive days off work in his years of being on the job, and it was even going to continue for one more day considering that the following day was one he had off anyway.

Whilst Sorey couldn't exactly learn more about Angel's life and past, he _was_ able to learn more about his personality rather quickly. He could be sarcastic, but it was light-hearted, and whilst it _could_ have just been because of what he was, he had a heart of gold underneath said sarcasm. But it seemed so natural and unforced that Sorey could only imagine that this was just who Angel was. It felt like this is what he would be like as a human, not just an angel. As well as this, he sometimes seemed to become easily flustered. Sorey was quite certain that there wasn't a single part of his personality which he didn't like.

Additionally, he seemed to have a natural love and talent for cooking. They had been watching television together when Angel had a sudden sense of longing to make their food that night. He shrugged it off as a way to apologise for Sorey sleeping on the sofa, but Sorey could tell that he genuinely adored it. It was lovely to learn more about Angel through his actions as opposed to him just speaking about himself.

Naturally, this learning went both ways; it was naturally a lot easier for Angel to learn more about Sorey than the other way around.

“A police officer?”

“That's right! I've been on the force now for three years.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Absolutely. I think I've had a calling for it ever since I was a kid.”

“That kind of job suits you. Though I also think that something like an archaeologist would be to your liking.”

“Oh, of course! I'm a man of many tastes, you know. But yeah, heroic personality, I guess. I'll just save the archaeology as an interest.”

“I recognise a few of those books. Maybe I've read them before.”

This was one of the most confusing parts about Angel. Presuming that he came from Heaven or an equivalent, it would be expected that if he _did_ remember anything, it would be something to do with that. But it was the other way around. He remembered nothing to do with his life as an angel, but had less issues with remembering things to do with human life. The more they spoke, the more it seemed that Angel's memory wasn't just lost; it was selectively wiped, like a wall surrounding everything which was important about himself, unable to be scaled.

“You can read them sometime,” Sorey smiled, choosing not to speak his thoughts. But apparently, it didn't matter whether or not he did; Angel seemed to know exactly what he was thinking without it being spoken aloud.

“Thank you. But yes, I do find it strange that I can remember little, human-like things such as this, but then anything about how I'm an angel… Nothing at all. I don't understand.”

“How did you know I was thinking about that?”

“Intuition, I suppose? I don't know. I feel like I know you a lot already.” Angel looked down at his hands, eyebrows furrowing in concentration. “I'm not trying to compliment you by that, even if you _do_ deserve compliments. It kind of feels like I'm connected to you somehow, even like we've met before.”

“Your appearance seemed familiar to me when I saw you with your eyes open,” Sorey responded. That caused Angel to look up, looking a little surprise.

“It's not just me?”

“You as well? Man, this is confusing.”

Angel laughed, “A little bit. All in time, I suppose. But I'm the one with amnesia here; why would _you_ have forgotten anything?”

“No idea. I can't recall forgetting anything, but hey, maybe I forgot that I forgot something.”

“You're so weird.”

“You're an angel which turned up randomly at my local park and _I'm_ the weird one?”

“That's racist.”

“Racist? Oh my God,” Sorey laughed. “I never pictured an angel ever saying that.”

“Well, you _are_ calling me weird because of who I am. Does that not count as racist?”

“Fine fine, I'm sorry.”

“So you should be.” Angel's expression then grew more serious as he turned his head, looking out of the window. “Tomorrow is your last day off work, right? I'll leave the house then.”

“Are you sure? You weren't scared for nothing. What if it puts you in danger?”

“I have a feeling that I won't get anywhere by staying in your house. I'll go.”

“As long as you're sure.”

“I'm positive.”

“How are your injuries, anyway?” Sorey asked, shuffling on the sofa to face Angel a little more. “You seem to be wincing less than before.”

“Yeah, they're healing well overall. It still hurts, but nowhere near as much. None of the ones on my body were major.”

“Including the one on your head?”

“That still stings a lot more. It hasn't really healed much at all.” He raised a hand to where it was inflicted, frowning. “Maybe that blow was what caused my memory loss. I can't be sure.”

“That seems possi- hold on, I think it's been bleeding slightly again.” Sorey reached for the packet of wipes left on the coffee table in front of them, pulled one out and scooted closer to Angel, dabbing it gently. “Honestly, I thought that it needed to breathe, but maybe we really need to put bandages on it again.”

“It's fine, I might have scratched at it without realising.” His eyes glanced at Sorey's face for a moment before looking down at his hands the moment they made eye contact. “You're too kind for your own good, you know. I could have done that.”

“I probably am.”

“I mean it literally. Your soul is pure. I can sense it.”

“Really? Are we talking like, just a little pure, or I'm basically an angel myself kind of pure?”

“The latter.”

“Well, that's definitely a good thing.” He finished wiping away the small amount of blood from Angel's hair and grinned. “I mean, maybe that's what allows me to see you.”

“Maybe,” Angel responded. It may have been true, but it seemed deeper. Much, much deeper. He just had no reason as to _why_ it seemed so.

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning came around before long. The weather was luckily beautiful; a clear sky and bright sunshine, yet an obvious breeze rustling the trees. It was spring, so the weather seemed to fluctuate a lot between sun and rain.

Angel had already been in the kitchen making pancakes when Sorey rose. It seemed like he might not have slept a lot, which Sorey couldn't help but feel guilty about. It was likely anxiety over today which had stopped Angel's body from being able to rest, which it definitely needed to in order to continue healing.

If he was _still_ anxious, however, he was doing a very good job of hiding it. After their breakfast, Sorey wondered if Angel was allowing it to show as he was getting dressed. He seemed like the sort of person to hide his feelings away from others until he was alone.

That's why Sorey did his best to radiate positivity as he always did.

“As cuter and cuter as this is becoming, I'm really glad you'll be getting your own clothes today,” Sorey laughed when Angel exited the room in a baggy blue T-shirt and white shorts reaching just below his knees. “Your own clothes _still_ haven't dried. Why did you have to wear so many complicated layers?”

“Fashion, I guess? Those capes are pretty cool. But I agree that it's inconvenient.”

“Just a little.” He hesitated, before speaking in a softer voice. “Are you okay?”

Angel seemed a bit taken aback by the sudden question. He shrugged, folding his arms, not quite looking back at Sorey. “Not particularly. It's quite pathetic, isn't it?”

“Not at all. You didn't know what that feeling was. But I'm here, okay? I'm your, uh, bodyguard?”

“You're only human.”

“Yeah, but I'm a particularly confident human, if not overly so; I'm a police officer, great at combat _and_ I have a knack for getting myself out of dangerous situations by pure will power. Plus, I am obviously very imposing and strike fear in the hearts of enemies. Who could you be safer with?”

“You're ridiculous,” Angel said, trying to sound serious but he couldn't help but start laughing. “Honestly. Of all humans who were given the ability to see me and it was someone like you.”

“It's a bad thing that it was someone like me?”

“… I suppose not. Still undecided,” Angel smirked, before unfolding his arms. “For some reason, that was actually quite the pep talk. Let's go.”

“You're going to be fine,” Sorey said as they stood by the door, his voice a lot more serious. “Nothing will hurt you.”

“And if they try, I have an imposing police officer with good luck on my side, right?”

“Exactly.”

Angel shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. “Ridiculous. So ridiculous.”

And then he opened the door himself. He shuddered, but unlike the other day, he barely reacted as negatively. He turned to Sorey, raising an eyebrow.

“Well?”

“Don't you… Feel it, that much?”

“I do. It's like unknown dread weighing you down and trying to cut off your breathing. But it's not as bad as it was before, or maybe I'm just getting used to it.”

“Or maybe you feel more protected by my heroic self.”

“Or that. Come on then, lead the way. I've only been carried here unconscious; I have no idea where I am.”

“All right, all right,” Sorey grinned, locking the door before leading the way out of the apartment building. He put his earphones into his ears; no music was playing, due to him having the idea that no one would pay attention to him speaking if they thought he was taking a phone call. “There's no point in driving; the city centre is only a short walk away. Plus, the weather's great! You can see this place in all its glory.”

And when Angel began to walk through these streets with Sorey, he could see that the other wasn't exaggerating by saying this. The city was indeed beautiful.

From the odd person walking by, Angel would frown at the bad feeling he would get from them. But like a representation of the good weather, he could mostly feel happiness from others. It seemed like a lovely city, both from those who inhabited it and also how it looked physically. It held a sense of home to him, too. Perhaps that was from how welcoming it felt.

Sorey watched Angel for a moment looking around, smiling. “See? It's a great place to live.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“All my life! I've travelled, but I've never lived anywhere else. I'm not sure I'd want to.”

“It must mean a lot to you.”

“Absolutely. We're almost there now. You still okay?”

“Yeah. It's definitely not pressuring me as much. Plus...” He looked around again, softly smiling before looking at Sorey. “It kind of feels like home.”

“It does have that kind of effect on people, I suppose.”

Angel nodded slowly, looking thoughtful. He brought his wings closer to his back as they joined the crowds. He wasn't sure if anyone could feel _him_ , but he was almost certain that he would annoyingly feel his wings crashing into everyone.

Sorey seemed to be thinking about the same kind of thing. He dropped his voice. “Can they, you know, feel you?”

“I'm not sure. I'll try it out.” He stuck out one wing away from his body into three people walking by. Sorey had to hold in a laugh when he saw their confused faces.

“Did you feel something?”

“Yeah. It was probably just the wind.”

“The answer is partly yes,” Angel said, bringing his wing back to himself. “But it seems like they only feel a small sensation as opposed to dozens of feathers being smacked in their face.”

“And you?”

“I felt the same. Maybe I noticed them more as I can see them, but it was still like they weren't completely there… What is it? Why are you staring? You might want to stop, people are going to notice...”

He was getting a little flustered from the persistent gaze, but it wasn't on purpose. Sorey was just wondering how on Earth he was able to see and properly feel Angel when no one else could. To think that everyone just passed by, no clue that someone so beautiful was walking by them … it was extraordinary, but also frustrating. He was certain that everyone would have had the same look of wonder on their faces as he had.

“Sorry,” he said, eventually turning away. “I was just thinking about people really not being able to see you after all. Come on, we'll cut through this street here.”

It was a much quieter alleyway; not too narrow, but other people were still scarce.

“So how exactly would it have looked for you to carry me back to your apartment?” Angel suddenly asked, looking amused. “I haven't really thought about that yet.”

“Strange, to say the least? Like my hands were just hovering in the air doing nothing. I'm so glad that not many people saw me.”

“I can't believe you did that despite the fact you were probably in shock.”

“Well, I couldn't just leave you there. It's my duty to help others. Apparently that applies to supernatural beings, too.”

“Too kind for your own good again.”

“I'm certainly enjoying having you as a friend, so I'll have to disagree this time.”

“Friend...” Angel echoed. He seemed to be slightly touched, though he was trying to not make it look obvious.

“Well, you are, aren't you?” Sorey grinned. “I'm not just keeping you around because I have to. I enjoy your company.”

Angel smiled, looking away. “My first friend since losing my memories and it's a nerdy police officer with way too much confidence.”

“You don't seem to be complaining.”

There was no answer, but Sorey didn't really expect one anyway.

Moments later, they came out onto a busier, wider street, quite clearly the fashion district with lines of clothing and accessory shops. It was a Sunday, so there were quite a few younger people around, many likely there early to avoid the early closing times later on. It was a little overwhelming on this street, and the feeling in his chest seemed to be returning among the people here.

“You okay?”

“I'll be fine. Which one do you want to go to? Don't pick anything too expensive.”

“This one down here is my favourite. Come on!”

But their walking only lasted merely a minute before Angel stopped in his tracks, tugging on Sorey's sleeve to stop him as well. Luckily, to people passing by, it just seemed as though he took notice of what was in a shop window.

“What's the matter?”

“Sorry, I just...”

He was staring through the window at a selection of jewellery. His eyes were looking straight at a few pieces by each other; familiar combinations of gold and green lay there. He was drawn to them, despite the fact that for some reason, they made his heart ache.

“You told me to not pick anything expensive and yet here you are, looking at jewellery,” Sorey laughed, but when his eyes averted to Angel's face, he felt guilty over his words. Angel looked upset, looking at the jewellery with a sense of longing that didn't seem to be one to own them. That expression meant something much more. “Angel, are you okay?”

It took a moment for him to reply. “… Yeah. Let's keep going.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well -” He stopped himself, and shook his head. “I just need to figure something out. I think I should clear my head first.”

Sorey didn't want to leave the conversation there by any means, but at the same time, he couldn't just pressure Angel into speaking about something which was clearly making him uncomfortable. His left hand was under his fringe now, rubbing his forehead. Sorey didn't want to add to these troubles. And so, he nodded, the two continuing their walking without another word.

Sorey decided against mentioning that Angel's hand was still gripping on his arm when he noticed. He thought Angel would feel more secure that way.


	4. A Small Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a small connection to Angel's previous life as a human which gives him just a little bit more hope about where he currently stands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your kudos, I hope you're enjoying the story! Here is one more relaxed chapter before it takes a bit of a turn and starts becoming more intense. 
> 
> Enjoy it whilst you can!

The tension which had been confusingly caused by the jeweller's began to fade once they entered the clothing shop. Angel, finally noticing that his hand was still holding onto Sorey's sleeve, let go of it in an instant, cheeks flushing pink from embarrassment despite the fact that Sorey hadn't minded in the slightest. He walked over to one of the rails, flicking through the clothing displayed.

“See anything you like?” Sorey asked, leaning to one side to look past Angel at the clothes.

“Not on this rail, though considering it's your money, I can't exactly be fussy.”

“It's fine to be a _bit_ picky. Is there anything you have in mind? Anything you like at all?”

Angel pondered this for a moment. “I don't really like dark colours, mostly light and pastel. I don't mind brightness if it's blue or turquoise.”

“Then let's keep an eye out for that!” Quickly after those words, he pulled out a pair of washed-out light blue jeans. “What about these?”

“I like the colour, but I don't really like the bagginess… Is there a skinnier version?”

“Let's see… Ah, there is!” He held them against Angel. “Yup, these are great!”

“Sorey,” Angel said, eyes glancing around. “You're the only one who can see me, remember?”

“Ah, shit. Uh...” He pulled the wire of his headphone closer to his mouth, remembering that he was supposed to be on the phone this whole time. “You _do_ like blue skinny jeans, don't you, Steve? Ah, that's great...”

Angel placed his face into his hand, shoulders shaking as he tried to hold in laughter. “Oh my God. You're so awkward. Just let me point out the clothes since there's people around, okay? Then you pick them up and act like you're not buying them for your invisible friend."

“Sure thing,” Sorey said. He lowered his voice. “Do I actually seem like I'm taking a phone call, or do I seem insane by now?”

“Probably insane.”

“I thought as much.”

In order to lower this appearance of insanity, Angel began to point out the odd thing he liked here and there, careful not to choose too many despite the fact that Sorey didn't seem to mind at all. Neither had any idea how long Angel would be staying there for, however. He might only need a couple of things, but at the same time, he could be there for longer than he would like.

It wasn't as though he wasn't enjoying his stay, of course. That wasn't the case at all. He just had to get back to where he came from. From the screams which haunted his dreams at night, he knew he had others he needed to save. Even with the enjoyment he was having here after just a matter of days, it couldn't last forever. There was a chaotic life outside of this more carefree world with Sorey.

“You okay?”

Angel had been gripping onto a short-sleeved shirt on a rail whilst his mind went elsewhere. He brought himself back, turning to Sorey and smiling normally. “I like this one, too.”

“Ah, I do as well. The blue matches the ends of your hair.” He coughed, grabbing onto the wire. “… Steve.”

“Where did that name even come from?” Angel questioned, laughing. “First you try to call me Steve, now it's the name of your non-existent friend.”

“It's the first name that comes to mind, I suppose? But giving you that name was a joke. I don't exactly think you suit the name Steve."

“Too generic?”

“Not beautiful enough.”

“O-Oh,” Angel said, turning back to the rail to hide his face, which he could feel was heating up _again_. “I think that's everything. I shouldn't need much more.”

“You sure?” Sorey asked, skimming through the clothes. “Ah, maybe you're right. Jeans, shorts, chinos, tops, a jacket… Yeah, that should be enough. We can keep on top of the washing now.”

“Thank you again for this, though I still feel bad that it's coming from your salary.”

“It's honestly fine! They don't even cost that much.”

“I wish I could get a job to help you out whilst I'm staying,” Angel said, expressing his thoughts aloud as they began to walk over to the cashier.

“I think that's a bit too impossible,” Sorey chuckled. Angel watched from his side as the clothes were scanned, placed into a bag and money was handed over. Then they left, breathing in the fresh air after being cramped in a shop with a rather high temperature.

“Does it bother you that people can't see you?” Sorey asked suddenly, in a quiet voice so others didn't overhear.

“Not particularly… Why are you asking?”

“I was just reminded of it again when I was paying for the clothes. You were right there next to me, yet the woman only looked at me, completely oblivious to you being there. I know that it would definitely bother me if I was in your situation."

Angel took note of the emotion in his voice, which was similar to earlier on. “Does it frustrate you?”

“A little, if I'm honest.” But then Sorey smiled. “Though as selfish as it sounds, I don't think it's all bad. I kind of like having your company to myself.”

Angel smiled and paused for a moment. “I wonder if there _are_ other people who could see me though, aside from you.”

“Well, we've had no one faint yet, so we have yet to find that person.”

Angel let out a small laugh. “Yeah.”

Then Angel's eyes fell on the jeweller's they had passed by earlier. It was only for a brief moment; after all, Angel didn't want to have another moment like before. But Sorey noticed the direction in which Angel's eyes had averted for just a moment. He was too curious and concerned to not speak up when they exited the main street, walking down a much quieter area.

“Was there anything about that jeweller's which has reminded you of anything?”

“I think so,” Angel responded. His hand reached back to his forehead, fingers brushing away a few strands of hair. “It's like … something is missing. But I'm not sure what it is.”

“Is it something physical?”

“Possibly. It's hard to say.”

“It certainly seems like it, from the way you keep touching your head like that.” Sorey thought about this for a moment, before an idea came to mind. “I know! Want to go back to where I found you to see if anything was left behind?”

“Did you notice anything?” Angel said, a little doubtful.

“No, but I was kind of distracted by the fact that there was an angel on the floor,” Sorey laughed, causing Angel to grin himself.

“Point taken. Okay, I think it's a good idea.”

“Great! We'll get goi- oh, is that Alisha?”

“Alisha?” Angel said, suddenly feeling a little anxious and feeling ridiculous about being so considering no one else could see him.

“She's the blonde one over there, jogging with a German shepherd.” Sorey pulled out his earphones, holding a hand to his mouth as he called. “Hey, Alisha!”

“Oh, Sorey!” The woman slowed to a stop by Sorey, wiping a bead of sweat away from her forehead. Her appearance was as beautiful as her calming voice, with a perfect combination of sandy-blonde hair and jade eyes. Her German shepherd barked loudly in Sorey's direction, but was quick to stop at the sound of her voice, choosing to instead not move his eyes away. “Be quiet, boy! It's lovely to see you, Sorey; I've gotten so used to seeing you at work that it feels as though it's been weeks. How are you feeling?”

“Uh, a lot better, thanks. I guess I needed those days off to recover.” He refrained himself from turning around when he felt Angel shuffle behind him, hands lightly pressed on Sorey's back as his head peered around – with caution, Sorey sensed. “I'm sorry I left you guys patrolling without me."

“Don't worry about it, it's all been running smoothly. We've had a few more cases down-town, but aside from that, it's been fairly relaxed.”

“What's happened?”

“Mostly robberies and gang fights – one boy ended up with a stab to his side. Only sixteen-years-old, too; he's quite clearly been badly influenced. But please don't feel bad about that! We dealt with it all fine.”

For once, he didn't actually feel very guilty; after all, he'd had the situation with Angel to deal with, so there was very little he could have done. He was _still_ fighting the urge to turn around and see what was bothering Angel.

“I'm sure you did. I'm looking forward to coming back.”

“You're making it sound like you've taken more time off than you have! Saying that, I _did_ say I felt that way myself. I'll have to get going now though, unfortunately – oh wait, before I _do_ go! Rose and I were talking about how we wanted to have you around for dinner when each of our schedules work in our favour. How does that sound?”

“I'd love that!”

“That's great to hear. One of us will call you about it soon… Honestly boy, what's gotten into you?” She looked in the direction of her dog's eyes. “He is literally just staring right past your side… How strange. I'll see you tomorrow, then?”

“Of course. Get home safe!”

“You as well!”

She continued jogging, Sorey turning to watch her dog as she did so. “Ah, he was looking at _you._ Looks like dogs _can_ see the unseen!”

“Why else would I be hiding behind you?” Angel mumbled, finally letting go of Sorey's clothes to walk back on his side.

“It's just a dog. It's cute!”

“It's not!” Angel snapped. “Did you see the size of it? It wouldn't stop looking at me! What am I, a ghost?”

“Well, you _are_ unseen by everyone. And don't insult his size, he's still adorable.”

“Its bark was ridiculously loud and I thought it was going to try and bite me.”

“Are you really this scared of dogs, Angel?” Sorey asked, laughing. Angel scowled at him.

“It's not funny! It's normal to have a bit of a fear of dogs.”

“A 'bit'? Though maybe it's not a fear. You could just be jealous of him because he'd likely be taller than you if he stood up on his hind legs.”

Angel's eyes narrowed. “I hate you.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Sorey chuckled, putting his hands up in the air. He put them back down when he realised once again that he was seen as walking alone, though luckily, the walkway was empty. “It's about a five minute walk from here to the park.”

Angel nodded, nerves filling inside him again, utterly different than the simple reaction he'd had to Alisha's dog. He didn't understand why. Perhaps it was because if they didn't find anything, he'd be back to square one once again.

However, he felt calmer again when Sorey pointed out the lake to their side, lined with trees lush with green leaves. The scenery here was indeed beautiful. It was incredibly strange that humans, which are creatures filled with sin and impure decisions, could live in such a harmonious place like this, whereas from the few flashes Angel had in his mind, the place he came from was currently the opposite.

He hoped more than anything that they were safe.

They were soon inside the park, which was occupied by cyclists, children with their parents and, much to Angel's dismay, dog walkers. Sorey's eyes scanned over the park, trying to remember the exact location he had found Angel, before his eyes landed on the correct area.

“It was over there,” Sorey told him quietly. “Come on.”

The two walked over to the grass where Angel had been found. Sorey scanned around with his eyes before crouching down with Angel.

“Hopefully it's around here somewhere...”

“It is,” Angel said. Sorey looked at him curiously. “I can just feel it.”

Sorey smiled. “I have every bit of confidence in you. Hang on… You were right next to this.” He shuffled over to a bush, pressing himself closer to the floor to look under it, hands reaching under the branches.

“Sorey, they can see you.”

“I don't care. This is import- Oh! Is this it?”

Sorey leaned back up, holding up what appeared to be jewellery in his hand. Angel blinked to focus his eyes. It wasn't ordinary jewellery, the kind you would see usually; it was a beautiful golden circlet, carefully designed with a green stone in its centre. Angel opened his mouth to speak, but not before another person did so.

“Hey there, are you all right?"

“Uh, just fine!” Sorey called back, getting to his feet. “I dropped something around here the other day. I found it, though.”

“Oh, I'm glad.”

Thankfully, the person questioned the situation no further and carried on cycling. Sorey glanced briefly at Angel, who nodded. “Let's go somewhere quieter. Can we go back to your apartment?”

“Of course,” Sorey answered, handing him the circlet. There was a pause in that moment, Angel simply staring at the object in his hands with wide eyes, before he snapped out of his trance and gestured for Sorey to lead the way.

The walk home felt excruciatingly slow, but Sorey agreed that something like this needed to be discussed with no interruptions. Soon enough, he was typing into the passcode for them to enter, and the two had walked into the lounge and sat down.

“So it's definitely yours?” Sorey asked, breaking the silence. Angel nodded slowly, bringing the circlet closer to his eyes.

“I must have been wearing it and had it fall off when I ended up here.”

“Do you think it means anything to you?”

“I… I think it was my mother's.”

“Your mother's?” Sorey echoed. “As in...”

“Not someone who was in Heaven with me. I'm certain she was human.”

“Meaning that it's certain that angels were all once human, as opposed to just… I don't know, creatures made from scratch to work for God and such?”

“Most likely.”

Sorey's heart sank. That must have meant that some time ago, Angel had died as a human. It had already been suspected after there being hints that Angel had once lived a different life, but the confirmation made the situation more upsetting. His face was so young; Sorey couldn't help but wonder exactly _just_ how young he'd been when he had died. He definitely couldn't have surpassed twenty.

“If she had this when she was a human, how do you have it now?”

“I don't know. But … I'm glad I do. It's a part of myself I have back. I just wish I knew her name… I feel like I _do_ know it, I just can't put my finger on it.”

“I'm sure both her name and she herself were beautiful,” Sorey said softly. She must have been with something like this, not to mention because of the beauty of her son. “Why don't you put it on? It might help.”

“Okay,” Angel said. He brushed his hair back off his forehead, humming in thought. “I'm fairly certain I would have worn it like this.”

“Hold your hair in place, I'll help you out.”

Angel blinked, though he nodded, both hands able to fix his hair into place now that Sorey was holding the circlet. He leaned over to gently place it on Angel's forehead, securing it into place on either side. His hands were slow to remove themselves from the circlet; not just because he was worried that it might fall, but because of the sight which now lay before him.

If there was an appearance which could be called perfection, this was it. The circlet seemed to be made just for him, even if it had been previously owned. It added to the ethereal beauty that his hair, wings and gentle features caused. Though the usual swept fringe suited him just as well, having his hair pushed back emphasised his facial features; especially his eyes, which were looking at Sorey curiously.

“Wow,” was then all Sorey could breathe out after his staring.

“What? Why ' _wow'_?”

“It's just… Well, it's too beautiful to describe.” Sorey let out a cough, heat rising to his cheeks, eyes glancing to the side for a moment as he spoke again. “I mean, see for yourself.”

Angel looked at him for a moment before getting up off the sofa, looking into a mirror which hung above the mantelpiece.

He wasn't sure if a breathless 'wow' was suitable, despite how much that awed reaction had made his heart warm. But it definitely suited him. He wondered if it was because his appearance held a close resemblance to his mother.

“It really is perfect for you,” Sorey smiled, finally able to speak properly again. “And hey, don't you think the stone is a bit similar to my eyes? That's kind of cool. Though I won't steal it from you because of that, don't worry. I don't think it'd suit me quite as much."

Angel only smiled in amusement, his eyes drifting back to the mirror.

He was happy. He might not have been able to remember her well, but just being able to know that this object had been hers gave him a little bit of hope. He could remember a connection at the very least, knowing that there had been a life with her before the chaos which had likely brought him here.

Her name was unique, but utterly beautiful. It was on the tip of his tongue. He found himself wanting to remember that name more than his own.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I'm greatly looking forward to posting next week's chapter; it's quite a bit longer than usual with a lot of needed information and building of tension. Hopefully you're looking forward to it, too!


	5. Origins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Sorey returns to work, Angel takes the time to research into beliefs about his kind, hoping that he is coming closer to conclusions and realisations of the truth.
> 
> The two visit Ladylake's best attraction, its beautiful church. Ties seemed to be starting to appear, but the comfort and lack of fear isn't to last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a longer chapter! I spent time researching, racking my brain, pestering my mum about one tiny thing which only took up about 200 words in the end and also tried to visit a church only for there to have been a holy communion going on for this chapter.
> 
> So I really hope my efforts paid off and that you enjoy it!

Though his fringe was now swept back into place, Angel kept the circlet on his forehead. Even if he had no memory of her, wearing something which had belonged to his mother gave him a feeling of warmth and a sense of security. It reminded him that he _did_ have an identity and that regardless of his fears, he had a life.

Was she still alive, or had she died before he had? He couldn't have been sure. He wasn't even sure _when_ he had died as a human and became an angel, so knowing specifics about his mother was out of the question. All he could do was imagine her. Maybe he had her eyes, perhaps their hair fell in a similar way. Was her skin also so pale it was almost translucent? How would her hold feel? There were so many small questions which built together to become a great amount of curiosity. What he found himself longing for the most, however, was simply her name.

He also found himself wanting to wear the circlet simply because Sorey had been the one to place it on his head the first time, but he wouldn't have ever admitted that aloud, considering it was embarrassing enough to simply think about it.

Sorey had been a little worried about going to work the following day, but the worry was soon eased by Angel's reassurance and explanation of his plans. He wanted to spend time researching about where he was and to see if he could find anything about his kind. Sorey provided him with his laptop and promised that when he was free of work, he would take Angel to the library to find as many books as he wanted on their city, Ladylake. The books he was shown to in the meantime were the array of archaeology books which adorned Sorey's bookshelves in the lounge and bedroom.

“ _I don't want to wear yourself out too much from your research,”_ Sorey had said. _“So feel free to read any of these when you want a break!”_

Though he barely gave himself the break _to_ read these books, they were truly fascinating and brought back an interest he knew had must have had in the past. He found himself enthralled in their fascinating content, immersed in an astonishing world. It took all of his willpower to not flip the page so that he was able to return to his research.

Luckily, he started off easy with said research, which he was glad about as it took several energy-consuming days to get through. He had started by looking into information about Ladylake. Of course, Sorey had already given him details, but he hadn't had the time to go truly in depth. Articles about it were luckily easy to find.

It was a city with modern technology and was the most developed in a wide radius, but it also took pride in maintaining its historic appearance. Whilst a lot of the city had been replaced with necessary modernised buildings, other precious architecture had been maintained with how they'd looked for centuries. Money was spent on simply repairing what had always been and maintaining a fresh appearance. This included the church, which was one of Ladylake's biggest attractions with a large history behind it. It also had an alternative name; the Sanctuary.

It was believed that this church had a guardian angel, who watched over the whole land. This is where the alternative name for the church came from, being as it was dedicated to her as well as Christianity itself. The people named this guardian the 'Lady of the Lake', though Angel was uncertain about whether or not she had been named after the city or vice versa, as the details about that were unclear. What he _was_ certain about was that he wanted to go to this church. He wasn't exactly sure about whether or not he would meet this guardian, considering he naturally couldn't jump to conclusions about if she existed or not. But he definitely wanted to see this church in all of its glory and it could potentially help trigger something in his memory, or at the very least increase his knowledge.

“ _We'll add that to our list!”_ Sorey had exclaimed when he had returned home and Angel had told him about what he had learned. _“Sorry I never mentioned her, but yeah, she's a huge legend. The church is incredible though, you're going to love it!"_

Following his research on Ladylake, he had a much more difficult task on researching beliefs about angels. A lot of articles and blogs about this seemed very far-fetched, even despite them talking about the supernatural. Some also seemed to be heavily convinced that angels had existed for as long as time and would continue to do so for eternity, that they were an entire different entity to humans. Whilst they _were_ clearly different, considering Angel knew that he had once been a human and had been turned into an angel following his death, he wasn't sure as to whether or not to believe the information, at the very least fully.

_'An angel is a pure spirit created by God. This belief is included in the Old Testament, where the name 'angel' applied to certain spiritual beings or intelligences of heavenly residence employed by God._

_The English word 'angel' comes from the Greek word 'angelos', meaning 'messenger'. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for 'angel' is 'malak', also meaning 'messenger'. The prophet Malachi took his name from this word. He is the man who prophesied the coming of Jesus Christ in Malachi 3:1, naming him “the messenger of the covenant”._

However, one thing that _did_ attract Angel's interest was the belief of guardian angels. After learning that Ladylake was believed to have one, it made the articles seem all the more interesting and believable.

 _'A guardian angel is believed to be an angel which is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group, kingdom or country. This concept was extensively developed in Christian_ _ity_ _as early as the fifth century by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and is present in the books of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament._

 _The belief of guardian angels is not just limited to Christianity. In Rabbinic literature, they expressed the notion that there are indeed guardian angels appointed by Adonai to watch over people. They believe in Lailah, the angel of the night in charge of conception and pregnancy, who serves as a guardian angel throughout a person's life and their death, leading their soul to the afterlife. In late Judaism, the belief that “The people have a heavenly representative, a guardian angel” developed. Many Muslims believe that each person has two guardian angels – one in front, one behind, and in Zorostrianism, it is believed that each person is accompanied by a guardian angel (also known as_ Arda Fravaš, _“Holy Guardian Angels”), who patrol the boundaries of Heaven, but volunteer to descend to earth to stand by individuals at the end of their days._

 _Some people say they can hear angelic sounds beyond human description. Others have a feeling of sudden warmth or comfort, or even a gentle cloak of feathered wings wrapping gently around them in times of sadness or grief. On an opposite to these feelings,_ _the energy from angels can feel entirely different, such as a sudden rush of air, which has been noticed at times of impending disaster. At other times, an inexplicit entity can simply be felt.'_

Angel leant back on the sofa, a hand resting on his chin in thought. Lailah… There was something about that name which seemed familiar, but it wasn't just this he was pondering over. Was he the typical kind of angel people thought of when hearing that word, or was he one of these?

 _'That would explain why I'm here in the first place,'_ he thought to himself. _'That I'm meant to be a guardian of this place, or people here… I might have been sent from where I was before and somehow lost my memory on the way.'_

All of the new information he had gathered was overwhelming, but simultaneously, it gave him hope he hadn't had before. He might have just been getting somewhere.

 

* * *

 

 

“I'm still not over how much these clothes suit you!”

Angel had just exited Sorey's bedroom, wearing washed out skinny jeans, a white T-shirt and a navy cardigan on top. It was now the morning of Sorey's day off, so 11 days after he had first encountered Angel.

“You keep saying that, I get it by now,” Angel said with a roll of his eyes, but he was covering a smile under the back of his hand, appreciating the compliment.

“It's so weird, though,” Sorey said as Angel walked over to him. He peered around Angel, looking at his back. The wings went through the material as though there was nothing there. “They just … go through. I thought we'd have to cut holes in them or something.”

“Is it too magically mysterious for you to handle?”

“A bit. I like that alliteration!”

“You're such a nerd.”

“Says you with all your reading lately.”

“Whatever,” Angel chuckled. “Shall we get going? The service should be over by now.”

“Yup, let's go!” He locked the door after they exited, jogging down the steps with an excitable bounce. “I can't wait for you to see it!”

“Are you religious then, Sorey?”

“Well, you're an angel, so I guess I have to be now,” Sorey laughed. He clicked on his car keys to unlock his car, glancing around as Angel opened his side. “Really though, I kind of have been, but at the same time, not exactly. I guess I've always had my own beliefs. I've always thought angels could assist, as well as reincarnation and such, but as for Gods… I imagine there to be more than one if they _do_ exist, so I don't know. I don't really have a specific religion I follow. I'm agnostic, I suppose.”

“I completely understand,” Angel said. They were driving down the road now, Angel looking out of the window thoughtfully, his head resting against the palm of his hand. He spoke again without turning his head. “What about guardian angels?”

“Oh, I definitely believe in those. I think I might have one myself.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I have one right here. Just look at you.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Really though... There's been a few moments in my life where I've almost screwed up, but somehow, I've always been put back on track. After a while, I was doing that on my own. It's like there was someone there who left me to steady myself on my own two feet after a while. I don't remember much of it, though.”

“I see,” Angel said, his lack of words due to him thinking. “I asked because I've dedicated a lot of my research to guardian angels.”

“Oh, why didn't you tell me?”

“I wanted to look into it more first,” Angel said. “But it's the most reliable thing I've looked at. This Lady of the Lake… She's meant to be a guardian angel, right?”

“That's right.”

“I'm thinking that if she exists, she might actually be here in Ladylake right now.”

“Oh, that would be so cool! I've never seen her, but… Well, maybe my skill for seeing your kind will have grown after meeting you. Who knows, we might even bump into her today!”

“I love how casual that sounds,” Angel said, chuckling. “Like, 'I was just taking a stroll when suddenly, the legendary Lady of the Lake was there' kind of casual.”

“That's exactly what happened with you though, except I was jogging instead of strolling,” Sorey responded. “Hey, maybe _you're_ the Lady of the Lake!”

“I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't think a _guy_ can be the _Lady_ of the Lake.”

“Maybe the legend got it wrong. Though I think you'd be quite fitting if you grew your hair out.”

“Having long hair would _not_ suddenly turn me into a woman. But … grew it out?”

“Oh, yeah!” Sorey glanced at him with a smile before his focus was back on the road. “Seriously, you should consider that. Long hair would suit you, I'm sure.”

Angel hummed in thought, brushing his fingers through his hair. Maybe it would.

“Ah, we're here!”

Angel's eyes widened. How much Sorey had said about the church being beautiful definitely wasn't an exaggeration. If he hadn't been distracted, he would have noticed it from miles away; the large and grand exterior seemed to be reaching for the Heavens. With how large the spears decorated with gold were, it could almost seem like a place of royalty, especially by how large flags hung down with the symbol of the city. Despite how the architecture dated back for centuries, due to the exterior being regularly maintained, the white of the walls was pure and fresh, covering the cracks that had developed over the years.

“Great, isn't it?” Sorey questioned. “Make sure you look at the engravings on those pillars before we enter.”

He walked behind Angel to give him the chance to do such that. Delicate fingers trailed over the intricate designs. When he looked closer, he could see that symbols were etched into the pillars.

“I think that's some kind of language?” Sorey said quietly, looking over Angel's shoulder. “It seems a bit familiar to me, I've always noticed. Something about the Lady of the Lake, I think?”

“You're right. It must be some kind of ancient tongue.” Angel leaned in a little closer. The words came to him as naturally as breathing. _“… 'When_ _the dark age of calamity_ _draws near, it is the joining of the_ _Lady of the Lake_ _with_ _the_ _Hero of the Heavens_ _, the Shepherd, which will put a stop to the world's end.'_ Or … something like that.”

“'Something like that'? That was a complete sentence!”

“I think I put it simpler than the original translation… I guess no matter what happens to my memories, I can't forget something as natural as a language. I mean, I haven't lost any knowledge of English, have I?”

“Still, I'm impressed you know it at all!”

Angel's cheeks flushed at the praise. “Well, I'm sure it's natural for my kind.” He looked on the other side. “Wait, there's more.”

“I hope I just seem like I'm checking each side out myself,” Sorey laughed, the sound causing Angel to smile.

“You should do. Okay… _'But this can only happen if the Shepherd believes. The unseen must be seen in order to be purified. That is the only way to stop Hell's wrath.'”_

“Do you think that could be about me?”

“Possibly...”

“I was joking! But… You really do?” Sorey was peering over Angel's shoulder to look at the writing, a little bit too close. Angel cleared his throat.

“Well, Heaven's Hero who can see the unseen? I don't know… It just seems a little too fitting to you. Plus, if there's anyone who's going to be like a hero, I'd say it was you.”

“Are you complimenting me?” Sorey grinned, leaning on the pillar and looking smug with a hand on his hip.

“Heroes are known for being reckless and relying on sheer luck, that's all.”

“Damn, that's mean.”

Angel smirked, but coughed when he noticed how close Sorey still was. “You better move before someone comes down here. You'd look strange just leaning on that and looking at nothing."

“Whoops!” Sorey laughed, finally standing upright and away at a distance which was much less nerve-wrecking. He turned to the doors, Angel's eyes temporarily back on the pillar in front of him. “I think I should visit my parents' graves whilst I'm here,” Sorey pondered aloud. Angel shot his head back around to look at him. He hadn't had the opportunity to ask about family. Pain in his chest, he went to say something, but Sorey's cheerful demeanour hadn't changed in the slightest. He smiled down at Angel before he grabbed onto a circular steel handle on the wooden door, pushing it open. Angel immediately picked up a scent which seemed to soothe him.

He had been worried that it would have been awkward to visit outside of the Sunday service, but there were still people inside. It lacked the formality he had expected; there were a couple of families and couples inside, talking together and laughing. A priest was stood by them, who looked over at Sorey as he entered.

“Oh, Sorey! It's been a while since I have seen you,” the man greeted, excusing himself from the others before walking over to him.

“I'm sorry Mason, I only have one day off a week at the moment, what with some crazy things happening,” Sorey said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Gets a bit hectic.”

“Oh no, I understand completely,” the man responded reassuringly, smiling kindly. “I appreciate your duties for this city greatly.”

“Thanks!”

“No need, no need. But… Though there are, of course, always those watching over us, I feel a stronger presence today… Perhaps it is your visit which has brought that.”

“Uh, maybe,” Sorey laughed, glancing over at Angel, who was now inspecting the stained-glass windows. The one he was looking at right now mostly consisted of blues, turquoises and greens. The body of a female angel stood elegantly on a steam of water, supposedly leading from a waterfall. Her arms were raised elegantly as though she was catching falling rain. Angel wandered to the other windows as Sorey did his best to look away. The other windows also had colour themes; there was a male angel crouching among earth consisting of shades of brown and green; a female angel with long flowing hair surrounded by flames consisting of red, orange and yellow and, lastly, an angel with no apparent gender flying into the sky consisting of pale blue, grey and hints of green.

“I'm going to go and visit my parents' graves. It's been a while.”

“Of course. I give them my respects.”

“Thank you!” Sorey smiled, before walking towards a second doorway. His steps were a little slow to ensure that Angel had took notice of him leaving. He had, and after finally tearing his gaze away from the exquisite windows, was now following Sorey out of the building towards a large stretch of an almost completely silent graveyard. It was filled with beautiful gravestones of various shades stretching far into the distance, many with brightly coloured flowers left for those who had passed away.

“Wow,” Angel said once he was by Sorey's side. “It's incredible.”

“It is,” Sorey responded, turning to him for a moment. “My parents are all the way down here. I don't have flowers, but… Well, it'd be nice to visit them regardless.”

A few minutes later, they were stood in front of two matching tombstones. They were white, etched in black writing, which both simply said:

_'May you both rest together in the peace you deserve.'_

“They passed away together?” Angel asked quietly.

“Yeah, when I was ten – their good friend wrote that, you see. It was a car crash; I was lucky enough to survive.”

“What happened to you after that?”

“I was adopted by that friend. Hey, don't look so upset, you're going to make me cry!”

“You really are such a strong person, Sorey,” Angel said quietly, still looking at the tombstones. “You don't look saddened by this visit in the slightest.”

“Well, it happened twelve years ago, so I moved on. It was hard at first, but I knew they'd want me to keep going and be happy.”

Angel thought over these words for a moment before speaking. “Wait here a second.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

He watched as Angel took a couple of steps before his wings rose him to the air, Sorey's eyes widening in astonishment as he did so. Of course, it's not like he thought the wings were useless, but this was the first time he had actually seen Angel use them in front of him.

 _'I wonder if he goes out to fly when I'm at work,'_ he thought to himself. _'Hopefully he's recovered enough to do so and isn't pushing himself for me.'_

That worrying thought was soon to vanish when Angel returned. He landed a few feet away from Sorey, a small bunch of wild flowers in his hand.

“I went towards that forestry over there,” he said, slightly breathless. “It's only small, but...”

“Thank you,” Sorey said softly. “Really, Angel, thank you.”

“It's nothing, really.” He handed the flowers to Sorey, watching as he bent down to place them by the gravestones. “They'd be proud of you.”

“As your mother would be of you,” Sorey smiled. He got back to his feet, humming in thought. “I think I'll light two candles for them while I'm here. It's been a while since I've done that… Maybe you've inspired me.”

“Just don't forget that we'll be back near others. I don't want them thinking you're insane.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” Sorey chuckled, before the two made their way across the graveyard and back inside the warm church.

The candles were placed to the side of the church, lined on shelves. A sign above read, ' _Light a candle for a loved one and say a prayer.'_

Silently, Sorey picked up one candle at a time and lit it, his head lowered slightly once the flame began to dance in silence. Sorey's lips moved, but it was in such a quiet whisper that no sound could be picked up. Angel stayed silent, simply watching with a pang of pain hitting his chest at the sight. But this pain was soon to be replaced by curiosity instead when Sorey picked up another candle and lit it.

_'Another family member, maybe?'_

Naturally, he couldn't question it. He watched as Sorey did one last thing; walk over to the donation box, slip a note into an envelope and placed it inside anonymously.

“I'm going to be on my way, now,” Sorey said to the priest. “Thank you for having me!”

“Not at all,” the man replied, waving to Sorey as he left, Angel close behind to slip through the opening doors.

“Who was the third candle for?” Angel asked once they were now in Sorey's car, away from being overheard by the citizens nearby.

“I thought that was obvious. It was for you, silly.”

“M-Me?” Angel questioned, eyes widening.

“Well, yeah. I'm sure you already have someone missing you to do that for you, but… Well, I wanted to be that someone, too.” Sorey looked at the road ahead of them, the usual smile gone. “You just look like you died so young. I want your death to be acknowledged and your existence appreciated, even if you have a different kind of life now… It probably seems stupid.”

“It doesn't,” Angel said, looking down at his hands. He was so deeply touched that it was hard for him to form words. “Thank you, Sorey. I - I'm just really grateful that you'd do that for me.”

The smile returned, lighting up his face. “But of course! It's the least I could do for you.”

For one heart-thumping moment which seemed to stop his breath, there was a hand over his own. It may have been gone as quickly as it had been there, but it was enough for him to feel a spark.

“So, did you feel anything?”

“Yes,” Angel replied quickly, before his face turned red at what he realised Sorey was asking about. He coughed and looked out of the window to his side. “I-I mean, I guess so. I felt a connection there, but that would only be natural. But there was something I noticed about the windows.”

“What's that?”

“There was a theme of the elements in the glass, which is clear, I'm sure. But I noticed that it was only really on the ones which focused on angels. I'm wondering if that means something.”

“Like angels link in with the elements? That would be pretty interesting… And I guess it would maintain them somehow, huh?"

“That's what I was thinking.”

“Great minds think alike!” Sorey glanced at Angel and hummed. “I reckon you'd be water.”

“Because of the hair?”

“Your personality, too.”

“I guess we'll see if you're right about that.”

“I'm usually right,” Sorey said confidently. Angel rolled his eyes, but as there usually was at Sorey's attitude, there was a grin on his face.

 

* * *

 

 

It was only a few days later that Angel had decided to return to the church; this time, alone, due to Sorey being in work. Sorey was worried again at first, but Angel was regaining strength day by day and was practically perfectly healed. Perhaps as he grew this better physically, he would soon do so with his mind, too.

Angel opened the door of Sorey's apartment slowly, peering out of the doorway to make sure that no one was in the corridor before he stood out, quickly closing the door and locking it with the spare key he had been given.

It was fairly bright outside, but there was still a decent amount of strong wind. It pushed against Angel's wings once he took to the sky, so he was only able to remain in flight for a small amount of time before he landed on top of a building, light footsteps barely touching the roof below his feet. His wings stretched out, feathers quivering wildly from the wind. It was somewhat refreshing, even with the amount of force.

But there was something about that wind. His eyes scanned over the city around him. The wind seemed to be worse further down-town. What radiated from there almost seemed to be visible to his eye.

“Malevolence,” Angel murmured to himself. It was the only word he had been able to apply to the feeling he had been experiencing. He was almost tempted to go down there, see for himself what it was like there, but he shook his head. It was likely dangerous to go alone, and who knew how it would affect him up close. It was too reckless.

And so he jumped from where he stood, crossing the short amount of distance to the church.

It was fairly quiet today, likely due to both how it was a weekday and also because of the weather. Somehow, he felt disappointed. He was heavily hoping that he'd be able to meet the Lady of the Lake, but once again, she wasn't here. The more positive answer was that she did not spend all her time in the church, but the more realistic answer was that she was nothing more than a legend.

Still, his second visit wasn't just for this, so it wasn't entirely pointless. Before heading out the second entrance, he walked over to something he had noticed last time out of the corner of his eye, but hadn't had the chance to look at completely. It was two porcelain bowls, a larger one filled with water, and a smaller with pebbles, similar to ones found at a beach.

 _'This links to Paganism, I believe,'_ Angel thought to himself, picking up one of the pebbles. Earth and water were combined when placing a pebble in the water for a loved one to cleanse them.

He placed a single pebble in the water whilst thinking of the circlet under his hair before he exited through the second doorway carefully, wandering over to the graveyard. It would take a long period of time, but… Was his name here, and would he remember it?

He passed by many, however, and not once did he feel as though he recognised the names. His heart sank with disappointment, though he tried to raise his spirits by thinking that he could simply have been buried elsewhere, rather than have his mind be so gone that he couldn't even feel familiarity with any name in front of him.

He hovered outside of the gravestones of Sorey's parents, a sad smile on his face.

“Your son has turned out to be a great man,” he said, quiet despite how there was no one there to hear him and wouldn't have been able to do so anyway. “I hope that you're able to see that for yourselves, wherever you are right now.”

He bent down by the gravestones, looking at the flowers which Sorey had left there. Even though it was only a natural process, Angel felt a pang of sadness, and even guilt, when he saw that they were beginning to die. His hand reached over to them as a natural reaction.

And then, which he hadn't realised would be natural in the slightest, his hand and the ground beneath the flowers glowed. They were encased with a beautiful blue light momentarily before the miracle was over, leaving the flowers where they were. The petals were as bright as they had been at the peak of their health, the leaves fresh and a rich green.

“W-What?” Angel gasped aloud, looking at his hand. “Did … did _I-”_

Footsteps behind him caused him to swivel round. He half-expected Sorey, the name on the tip of his tongue and ready to be exclaimed.

But what stood in the place of who he had expected was something which struck paralysing fear in his chest. It appeared like a dog – or from its sheer size, even a wolf – but the beast looked far too abnormal to be something so simple. It looked as though it had crawled out of Hell itself.

For a moment, the hound had been fixing his gaze on the healed flowers, and it was in that moment that Angel could have sworn it appeared to be a normal dog. But then their gaze met. It snarled, baring sharp fangs, back arched as it placed one gigantic paw in front of another slowly.

Angel's cold sweat only worsened when he saw that there were more of the beasts metres behind it.

 

* * *

 

 

“There's been _more_ crimes going on down-town?” Sorey asked Alisha with a sigh. Of course, he already knew – Angel got affected the more they got closer to that area.

“I don't know exactly why it's getting worse, but we need to try and settle this as soon as possible,” Alisha replied. “People from elsewhere in the city are starting to become frightened from it. They're not used to this kind of situation, and in their panic, they're starting to go against us.”

“I can't say I'm fine with that, but it's understandable. Fear changes us, after all.”

“You're right.” Alisha looked at him curiously. “You know, since you returned after your illness, you've seemed… I don't know, a little different?”

“I have?”

“Only a little. You've always been positive and understanding, but you've never really had a specific reason you like your work. I mean, one in general as opposed to a list. But now it's like you're doing this for something. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense… Do you have a sudden muse inspiring you all of a sudden?”

“I guess I do,” Sorey laughed. “I hadn't noticed I was acting any different.”

“It's subtle, so others probably wouldn't notice. I have, though.”

“That just proves how close we are.”

Alisha smiled, before she turned her head slightly to the side with curiosity. “You said you _do_ have someone who is inspiring you? I mean, you _have_ stopped going home ridiculously late to finish reports...”

“I don't think we should be talking about this kind of thing right now. We have work to do!”

“Oh! My apologies for keeping you. I'll see you later.”

Sorey smiled fondly as she hurried away, said smile growing softer once his eyes were back on his work.

An inspiration? Perhaps that was yet another word he could use to describe Angel. With nothing but his physical body and a circlet to tell Angel who he was, he was _still_ making every effort to learn about everything around him and try to discover himself. If that wasn't something to be inspired by, then nothing was.

But that wasn't all. Of course, helping others was a reason enough to get on top of everything which was going on in the city. However, he now had another reason; if the actions of the criminals in the city physically affected Angel, that was a reason in itself to stop it.

He looked down at his hand. Surely that moment in the car had just been the kind of sensation one would have from touching the skin of an ethereal being?

Even if that was just the case, he still found himself motivated to push through his work for the rest of his shift. He tidied his desk, glancing out the window for a moment as he did so. The sky was incredible; a sunset consisting of mostly an intense, passionate red.

A beautiful sight which turned out to be a warning, as Sorey was soon to realise. The colour of danger.

 _'What was that?'_ he thought to himself, looking down at his arm as he hovered outside of his car. There had been a sting; it was similar to a bite, but had been so faint that he had barely noticed it at all. _'Some kind of insect?'_

But then there was pain again; this time, dotted on his calves. It didn't linger, nor was it intense; but it sent a chill down his spine. A mere chill was quick to turn to panic, because somehow, he knew that the pain wasn't his, nor was it this faint for its recipient. Like strings attaching them, he knew what was happening right in that moment.

He had no time to think over this connection or to even question the name which escaped from his lips.

“Mikleo,” he murmured quietly. It was as though a door had been opened, like he had known that name for countless years. A name which was quick to be shouted in his increasing panic. _“_ _MIKLEO!”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter and would love to hear your thoughts if you have a moment! Thank you for reading!


	6. On Hell's Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excruciating pain, a new arrival and broken, distant memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick thank you for those who commented on the last chapter! It's so motivating to read even just a few words, especially as I push through severe health to write this. Thank you as well for making this reach past 100 kudos and 1,000 hits! I really appreciate it.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

The hairs on Mikleo's body stood up on end, the skin filled with goosebumps. He swallowed, trying to slow down his frantic breathing, but all efforts were in vain.

He was screaming at himself in his mind to flee, get away from the ground, but fear held much more control than rational thinking. His body simply froze to the spot, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead and to his freezing, white cheek. It wasn't until the beast closest to him suddenly leaped into the air that his body finally reacted.

He held up an arm to shield his face when he quickly analysed the height of the hound's jump, cursing at the pain which shot through it by sharp fangs. Luckily, the teeth hadn't managed to bury too far into the skin before Mikleo threw the hound away with force, defensively stood with his feet apart.

The stinging in his arm was like a pull back to reality, turning his irrational fear into a will to protect himself. He tensed the muscles in his back, spreading his wings out either side – but his moment of violence against the one which had bitten him had provoked the other monsters, and his feet were only a few feet off the ground before two had jumped up from their hind legs, clamping their jaws around his calves to bring him back down. He cried out at the contact against his bare legs, exposed from wearing shorts, though any material would have been torn apart regardless from this incredible force. The fangs sent jolts of pain through his nerves as he fell onto the floor.

His kicks against a couple of the beasts were futile; not only were there too many to fend off by himself, his legs were also already injured by those which had brought him down. Shooting them out in front of him only made him groan at the agony it caused.

But that was incomparable to the relentlessness of the beasts' attacks. With no chance to brace himself, they scratched and bit at his body all at once; his legs, arms, torso… The fangs and claws tore at his clothing and punctured his skin with only one clear goal in their mind: to kill.

He wasn't sure how many were currently surrounding him. Five, six, _seven_ – he could barely see them. His vision was clouded with red and blurred with tears threatening to fall, the excruciating pain causing his mind to airily wander to a distant, faded memory as his body wished to ease into unconsciousness.

“ _Go, Mikleo! Forget about us, just go!_ _It's the only way!”_

So Mikleo was his name. It caused his eyes to open, and for a moment, he didn't notice the pain. He just imagined how that name would sound in Sorey's cheerful voice.

It could have only been this thought which caused him to pull his right arm out of the jaw of one of the hounds and swing his hand to the side, causing the beasts to yelp as they were thrown back with a powerful jet of water – he wasn't sure exactly _how_ he could conjure it, but the reflex had felt as natural as any other action. Panting, Mikleo struggled to scramble up from the ground onto swaying legs, the world spinning around him. He looked at his right hand, splattered with a few droplets of blood from further up his arm. There needed to be something there; a weapon of some kind?

It must have been, for the magic he had used clearly wasn't strong enough on its own. The hounds had only backed away out of wariness, barely injured at all. Soon enough, they'd see that they weren't in much danger at all, especially as Mikleo had sank back to one knee, his legs too weak to keep him upright. Perhaps it was useless to even try.

But the thought was erased at the sound of his name being bellowed.

“ _Mikleo!_ Hold on Mikleo, I'm coming!”

“Sorey...” Mikleo said softly, smiling when his blurred vision focused just enough to see a figure running towards him in the distance. It cleared a little further when his eyes widened, taking in the sight of Sorey holding up a gun at the creatures now fixing their gazes on him. The finger was being pressed lightly on the trigger, hand steadying his aim ready to pull it back. A surge of panic went through Mikleo's chest, his voice much louder than before. “Sorey, don't shoot!”

“What? Why not?” Sorey called back. Now he was closer, he could see Mikleo properly. Never would the angel have thought that he would see such fear, such intense worry in those green eyes. And it wasn't over the glowing red eyes fixated on him.

“Look at them properly, can't you see it?”

He focused on one of the hounds. With eye contact, it leaped at him and was blocked with Sorey's arm, knocked in the head with the barrel of his gun. But he was able to see what Mikleo had meant in just that short moment before it had attacked; when Sorey had focused his eyes, the monster had appeared to be like a normal dog.

“I think they've been possessed or something,” Mikleo said, trying to get back to his feet. “And I know they're not human, but I...”

Sorey understood. Never in his life had he killed anything with the gun in his hand, not even a creature who wasn't a human. It was only natural that Mikleo felt the same way, especially as he was a creature basked in purity.

“Sorey!” Mikleo suddenly shouted. Three of the dogs had jumped at Sorey, but he had no chance to attempt to defend himself; even with injured legs, Mikleo had staggered forward, hitting against the hounds with one of his wings. He only managed to fend off two, however. Sorey cried out in pain as the third bit deeply into his shoulder, his right hand reaching to his belt. He pulled out a taser, pressing it into the hound's side, who let go of him and fell to the ground, shaking. “Oh God, Sorey, are you-”

“I care more about you right now,” Sorey said, putting his right arm around Mikleo's shoulders, not bothering to inspect the damage on himself There was tremendous pain in his eyes, but it wasn't because of the physical pain in his shoulder. His eyes were darting between the bleeding wounds on Mikleo's body. “You can hardly stand.”

“I need to do something,” he said in response, despite the fact that he was beginning to fall and would have done so without any support keeping him on foot. He shot more water from his hand to keep the hounds at bay – Sorey watched in astonishment, but he had no time to question it.

“Mikleo, you -”

“You're human, Sorey!” he suddenly shouted. “You can die from these! You shouldn't… You shouldn't have come here, it was too dangerous.”

“And leave you here like this? Just look at yourself! I couldn't have left you in danger!”

“But what… What do we do?”

Sorey had no answer for that question. He had never been so helpless, so _terrified_ in his life as he stared into the eyes of the beasts in front of him. His hand shaking, he reached for his gun again, silently praying for forgiveness -

But it wasn't needed.

Incredible fire erupted around them, encasing the beasts in its intense flames which illuminated the increasing darkness of the night drawing in. They howled in pain, but once the fire had disappeared, what was left behind was the regular dogs they had struggled to see through the façade of a monster, now lying unconscious on the floor.

Sorey and Mikleo turned behind them, fixing their gaze on their rescuer. She was a tall woman wearing an intricate and beautifully designed dress, longer and waved at the back, shorter at the front. A gold and red barrette held back unbelievably gorgeous hair trailing down to almost her feet, falling in silver strands tinted with pale green, gradually blending into a light red gradient. Pure white, feathered wings stretched out either side of her, their spectacular size larger than Mikleo's.

“Are you -” Sorey started, but he was interrupted almost as soon as he spoke.

“My sincerest apologies, but there is no time for questions.” She looked at Mikleo, her expression pained. “Please, flee from here. There are more in the distance.”

Both followed her gaze which had averted to the graveyard. She was correct; more of the beasts were drawing nearer, each just as hungry for blood as the last.

“But can you -”

“I will be fine.” The woman put one high heel in front of her, holding up talismans in her hand, her eyes focused. “You two are far too important to be lost here. Please, go. Do not worry about me.”

“All right. We're in your debt. Mikleo, can you walk?”

“Probably,” he said. His voice was quieter, as though it was taking more effort to speak than previously. But as they took a step forward, they saw more in their sight towards the church.

“Will there _ever_ be an end to these?” Sorey questioned. “There's got to be _some_ way around...”

“Hold on to me tighter,” Mikleo said, wrapping his arm just above Sorey's waist.

“Why, are you - _No!_ Don't you dare, Mikleo!”

Mikleo kicked up from the ground, pulling them both up with his wings. Sorey noticed the terrible flinch Mikleo had from doing so, despite how much he was trying to hide it. The weight of them both was far too strenuous on his wings, not to mention that Sorey's body was weighing down on small, aching shoulders.

“Mikleo, you're too injured for your wings to carry us both! Put us down!”

“It's only for a moment,” he gasped out. He closed his eyes on instinct, Sorey watching in wonder as they were encased in water. “I think… I think this will stop us from being seen.”

He winced again, flight faltering for a moment. He lowered them to the car park near to the church, the bubble around them bursting as soon as they landed. He fell to the ground on his stomach, coughing and spluttering.

“Why would you do something like that if you're injured?” Sorey demanded, immediately by Mikleo's side. “It was too reckless!”

“I'm already dead, Sorey,” Mikleo answered in between his coughs, failing to scramble to his knees. “I'm an angel, and you're human. I was going to survive, but what about you?”

“What if you could have died a second time?” His voice was low, trembling slightly. “What if angels can have their souls die? What then, Mikleo?”

Mikleo had no answer. Sorey suddenly felt guilty, pulling Mikleo's upper body gently onto his lap. He wanted no gap between them when Mikleo was suffering like this, then only to receive unanswerable demands from Sorey.

“I'm sorry, I didn't…”

“You're right,” Mikleo answered, looking up at him, eyes showing that he too was filled with guilt. “I just presumed I would be fine, considering I've already died once. I didn't think of that possibility." 

“We've got to get you home. These wounds…”

He should have gotten there sooner. The injuries on Mikleo which he had first been confronted with were nothing compared to this. They were still bleeding now; deep, awful bite marks, scratches from the claws of a monster. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, despite the fact that his line of work had made him seen more injuries than he would have liked.

“Don't look guilty. It's my fault for going.”

“But I failed to do what I said I would do, and that was to protect you. I wasn't just joking, I-”

“I'll be fine, Sorey. Please don't blame yourself.” He then tried to shuffle off Sorey's lap and onto his feet, the bite on his lip not quite enough to hold back a whimper from the movement.

“Hey hey, don't push yourself!” Sorey guided Mikleo's arm around his shoulder and put his own arm on Mikleo's waist. “My car is just a few steps away, okay? It's right there.”

And he was thankful that it was. He didn't think Mikleo had the power to walk further than that. He helped Mikleo into the back seat so he didn't have to sit up; he rested on his side, legs curled up with his hands around his stomach.

“I'll get us home as fast as possible. Hang in there, okay?”

Mikleo nodded, eyes closed and breathing heavy. His eyebrows were furrowed harshly, lips pursed together in an attempt to not let any noise escape him. Though once Sorey began to drive, even though he was careful of speed bumps and turns, he could still hear a groan from Mikleo every time the car jolted.

It didn't matter what words Mikleo said in reassurance. Sorey doubted that this guilt and the feeling of betraying him was going to fade away.

 

* * *

 

 

The journey seemed to last much longer than it was in reality. He parked up near his apartment, turning around to look at Mikleo for a moment, who was still somehow conscious. If anything, Sorey would have wanted him to have not been. At least he wouldn't have had to deal with the pain that way.

“I'll come round to you now,” Sorey said, opening the door to his side to clamber out, closing it and opening the one by Mikleo's head in an instant. He was trying to sit up now, wincing terribly as he did so. “Please, don't push yourself.”

“Is there anyone around?” Mikleo asked once he was in a sitting position, wiping sweat away from his forehead.

“No, but I wouldn't care if there was.” Sorey put an arm around Mikleo's waist, helping him out of the car. Mikleo's own efforts to stand by himself were useless; his legs seemed to have no hope to carry him, making him fall against Sorey who was quick to catch him. “You can't walk like this… Hold on.”

He pressed a button on his car keys and put them in his pocket, before he bent down to put his arm under Mikleo's knees, easily rising him off the floor into a bridal carry. He was too exhausted to protest or to even properly react. His head simply lolled against Sorey's chest, his eyes closing.

“This is pathetic,” he stated quietly.

“No it's not,” Sorey corrected him, climbing up the steps with care. “In fact, I'd say you're strong for being able to stay awake when you're like this.”

“Always the optimist.”

Contradictory to Mikleo's words, Sorey didn't have the heart to smile at that comment.

“Can you type in the passcode for me?” he asked when they reached his door, not wanting to put Mikleo down at all. The angel nodded, reaching over with a slight wince to type in the numbers. Sorey pulled the door handle down with his elbow and pushed it open with his shoulder. “Did I hurt you just then?”

“I'm fine.”

“You're anything but fine,” Sorey murmured, receiving no reply as he walked over to his bedroom. He once again used his shoulder to turn on the light switch before walking over to the bed, easing Mikleo down onto it gently.

“The covers -”

“I'm not bothered by the covers on my bed right now. Wait here a moment, I'm going to grab my first aid box.”

Mikleo nodded, leaning his head to one side. No matter how he positioned himself, it would cause him more pain _somewhere_. It left him feeling utterly restless. He bit down onto his lip, hands grabbing at the duvet underneath him. He was glad that Sorey was here with him, even if he had said to him that he shouldn't have went after him. He thought he might have been driven insane by this pain if he hadn't.

“I'm going to clean them up and bandage them,” Sorey said as he re-entered the room. “I'm sorry, but I won't be able to do anything to your torso unless you're sat up...”

“I know, it's okay.” He let Sorey help him up and put a cushion behind his back for at least a little comfort.

“And… Well, I need you to take off your shirt.”

Mikleo nodded, far too worn out to acknowledge any embarrassment. He inhaled sharply when raising his arms, but luckily, the extra pain only lasted briefly, though he didn't like the look of devastation in Sorey's eyes.

“It's okay, really. I'm sure I'll heal faster than humans do.”

“It's just...” He had no words to describe the bites and scratches, though the anger he felt was clearly evident in how his hands clenched into fists momentarily, before they relaxed and grabbed the box next to him. “This is going to sting, okay? But I don't know for sure if you can't get infections.”

“I understand.”

Despite the warning and said understanding, he still hissed when Sorey began to dab at his wounds with damp cotton. He kept mumbling apologies, but what for? He was only doing what had to be done, and if anything, Mikleo was heartened by his gentle care. He became tolerant to the stinging eventually, anyway.

Or at least, he thought he had. But maybe the tears which had escaped his eyes had been from everything in general, not just the added stinging.

“Mikleo? Oh God Mikleo, I'm-”

“It's not from that,” Mikleo said, wiping at his eyes with slight embarrassment. “Everything just … hurts. A lot. I guess I'm overwhelmed.”

“I'm surprised you've only just started crying now,” Sorey responded softly, putting his arms around Mikleo to pull him into a hug – lightly, so he didn't hurt him further. “It's okay, you can let it out.”

He didn't move for a moment, remaining stiff and uncertain in Sorey's arms. But eventually, he gave in and let his body ease its tension, wrapping his own arms around Sorey to return the embrace. He buried his head into Sorey's shoulder, hands clenching at the back of his shirt as his body shook from sobs. Each one broke Sorey's heart a little bit further, making him wish he could pull Mikleo closer, but of course, he couldn't.

He settled for soothing words instead. “I'm here, Mikleo, I'm right here.”

“I'm just so lost.” His hoarse voice was barely above a whisper; the sharp, choked inhales of breath from his crying were louder than his words. “Why are they in danger? Why am I here? What were...”

His words faded away, feeling ridiculous over asking questions over his broken, scattered shards of memory.

“I know, Mikleo.”

It was those simple words brought a woman's voice to his mind, one which both soothed him and pained him terribly.

“ _I know, Mikleo. But it's okay to cry. Eventually, you won't have to. We'll be away from him before long, away from danger.”_

“I'm so confused,” Mikleo said. “I keep ... _h_ _earing_ them. People I've known. But it's not enough to make sense, and-”

“Don't worry over that now, okay?” A hand was placed on his head, stroking the strands of hair gently. The touch made Mikleo's body, which had tensed again, relax a little in an instant, his grip on Sorey's shirt loosening. “Focus on the here and now. What's important right now is that you're kept safe and that you heal. Okay?”

The hand on Mikleo's head felt it nod in understanding.

“And I'll keep my promise this time.” The voice was still soft, but there was an edge of seriousness to it – protectiveness was the word that Mikleo decided on to describe it, but there was a much larger range of emotions in that voice. “If anyone or anything dares to lay a finger on you, they're getting through me first. And there's no way they're doing that.”

“You're only human.”

“And we've already been through how much of an _amazing_ human I am already.” The light-heartedness had returned to his voice. At the sound of it, Mikleo finally pulled away, wiping the last of his tears as he looked at Sorey. “Feel any better?”

“A little.”

“I'm always here if you need a shoulder to cry on, though try to stick to the one you just used right now.”

“Your shoulder!” Mikleo suddenly exclaimed, a hand over his mouth as he fixed his gaze on the blood-stained blue material of Sorey's shirt. “You have to-”

“I'll sort it out after I'm done with you,” Sorey said. “It's only one injury. That's nothing compared to you.”

Mikleo didn't have the energy to argue. He simply allowed Sorey to begin bandaging his wounds – starting with the deeper ones on the side of his waist and on his calves, wrapping the bandages around carefully and slowly as he bit his lip in concentration. Then with the same level of focus, he attended to the many other smaller, but still painful wounds. They both remained silent for the whole time, Sorey not wanting to break his concentration, Mikleo having no words left to say with his remaining energy.

Sometime after, Sorey sat up, wiping his forehead. “Okay, that's all of them. You should lie back down, now.”

Mikleo nodded, easing himself back down onto the bed. “Thank you.”

“No worries! Right then...” Sorey began to unbutton his shirt, leaving himself in a black tank top. Mikleo winced when he saw Sorey's left shoulder; the bite was rather deep, the skin around it a bright red. Pain must have been flaring up to an incredible amount. But Sorey didn't seem fazed at all when looking at it.

“Ah, I've had worse,” he said simply, applying disinfectant to some cotton.

“Worse?”

“Well, it was _probably_ worse than this. I've been shot before, so you know!”

Sorey laughed at the widening of Mikleo's eyes in response, his hand scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

“Nowhere vital! Just in my arm. But man, that hurt a lot more than this!”

He pointed at a scar on his left bicep. It was fainter than Mikleo would have imagined; he might have not even noticed if it hadn't been pointed it out.

Though perhaps he had been, admittedly, a little distracted by the muscle definition of his arm, but quickly pushed aside the embarrassing thought. The scar was still faint regardless of that brief distraction, and Mikleo wondered how it could be so.

“Though it healed really, really well, actually,” Sorey continued, answering Mikleo's thoughts without them being spoken aloud. “That's why the scar isn't that bad. I told you I'm lucky!”

“It's not very lucky to get shot in the first place, though.”

“Don't be such a pessimist! Really though, I expected something like that to happen. It's just part of the job, after all!”

He plastered a bandage over the bite after he had finished wiping it, Mikleo still watching with tired, sad eyes despite the fact that his body was screaming at him to sleep.

“I'm sorry.”

“What for?” Sorey asked seriously. “It's not as though you ordered those things to attack you.”

“Still, you're being caught up in things when you have enough on your plate with your work.”

“Nah, it's fine!”

Mikleo let out a small sigh, covering his smile with the back of his hand. “I hope you don't ever regret being this kind.”

“Never,” Sorey grinned. “Get some sleep, Mikleo. It'll do you some good.”

Mikleo nodded, turning his head to the side to do exactly that, but then a thought finally crossed his mind. “Wait, how do you know my name?”

“I don't know, actually.” Sorey looked thoughtful, eyes concentrating as he tried to look back on what had been going through his mind. “I felt that you were in pain, and then for some reason, I just knew your name. It's like I've known it all along.”

Eyes blinded with tenderness locked on Sorey's. “I see.” And with those words, his eyes closed. His last remaining bit of energy was used to place a hand onto Sorey's injured shoulder. Sorey's eyes widened when a gorgeous, supernatural light formed under Mikleo's hand. A warm, tingling sensation seemed to run through his nerves, cooling down soon after. Once the light had vanished, the pain had, too.

“Wh-What…?” Sorey stuttered in shock. Mikleo only smiled, eyes opening for just a moment with the same amount of tenderness as previously, before his head fell to the side, his body immediately becoming limper. For a moment, Sorey panicked and moved closer, but relaxed when he saw the rise and fall of Mikleo's chest.

Curious, he began to peel off the bandage which he had stuck over his shoulder. Perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised to see that all that remained on his skin was a pink mark, as though it had only been a slight scrape. However, surprise was all he could feel for a moment. Then his expression softened, his gaze holding an amount of adoration he had never experienced to this extent before.

“Thank you,” he whispered, placing his hand on top of one of Mikleo's. The smaller size and beautiful paleness brought a smile to his face.

He didn't know whether Mikleo did not have the ability to heal himself, or if he simply chose to heal Sorey's wound over one of his own. Either way, Sorey felt unbelievably grateful that Mikleo used his power to do something so miraculous before his consciousness had faded.

Sorey didn't move from his spot sitting on the bed. He didn't know how long this had been for, either. He just wanted to appreciate the warmth between their touch, as oblivious as he was to the reason why.

Soon, whilst Mikleo's healing still lingered in the back of his mind, his thoughts drifted elsewhere to much more troublesome thoughts.

What had happened to the dogs which had attacked them? Had they been possessed by something? Perhaps it was linked to the malevolence Mikleo had been talking about. It was hard to know for sure.

But the woman… He was certain – and he was sure that Mikleo had been, too – that she was the Lady of the Lake. It would be incredible if she was; a living legend had been there right before his eyes, even more beautiful than the tales had told.

He had witnessed the power of both fire and water. It seemed as though their kind _did_ link to the elements. Perhaps it was a natural thing that occurred once they had became angels, though it was a wild guess. But that power… It had been incredible. He guessed he should have suspected no less from the Lady of the Lake.

Though he remembered that in her hand, she had held those talismans with intense focus. Would Mikleo be able to wield such great power too, if he had a weapon himself?

 _'At least I finally know your name,'_ Sorey thought to himself. Mikleo. It suited him better than any other name Sorey would have thought of. Unique, just like him. And not just because he was an angel, either.

In a rush, exhaustion seemed to hit Sorey now that more relaxed thoughts had taken over his mind again. At last, he removed his hand from Mikleo's, ready to get up off the bed.

But something stopped him, and it wasn't just the fact that he felt as though he might not have had enough energy for his legs to carry him to the lounge.

The odd tremble in Mikleo's body, bouts of heavy breathing, a look at the bandages which had been stained a little by the blood seeping slightly underneath – that's what stopped him. He had no chance of being able to pull himself away from this spot, not when he couldn't bring himself to leave Mikleo alone.

So instead of making his way to the lounge, he carefully shifted Mikleo's body under the duvet to provide warmth on his bare torso, positioning him on one side of the bed. He settled next to him, still dressed in his uniform. He frowned when Mikleo seemed disturbed in his sleep. Said frown disappeared, however, when Sorey took Mikleo's hand and squeezed it gently, for Mikleo's body seemed to relax more, the furrowed eyebrows returning to normal.

It was exactly like this that Sorey's eyelids closed, easing himself into sleep quickly, his hand still holding onto Mikleo's lightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever stop putting Mikleo through Hell? Nope. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! The next chapter is pretty long; it's about 2,000 words longer than this one. I hope you're looking forward to it!


	7. After the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whilst Mikleo's body rests, Sorey properly meets Lailah, the Lady of the Lake, a friend from Mikleo's time before he lost his memories. She watches over Mikleo as Sorey goes through with his day with Mikleo on his mind, waiting for the moment he wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys! Thank you so much for the lovely comments on the last chapter, and for the extra kudos, too! I really appreciate it and I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
> 
> Here's a pretty long chapter; there's a few line breaks if you can't read it in one go, but hopefully the length is a good thing. Enjoy!

Sorey slept all through the night without waking up, but waking probably would have been a gift to him.

Mikleo, with torn, blood-stained clothes and harsh injuries on his skin haunted Sorey's slumber. He had nightmares filled with the sounds of Mikleo's sobs, sounding helpless and pitiful in the darkness which clouded the image in Sorey's sleep. If he had woken up, he wouldn't have had to listen to sounds which brought him pain, see what would break his heart. But he didn't, leaving him plagued by distressing images before he finally woke at 6:00am, panting slightly with sadness washing over him. Though he hadn't cried, his eyes were watery. He was about to rub them with his right hand just in case any tears _did_ try to fall, before he realised it was holding onto something.

Mikleo's hand. Even after hours of Sorey lying there, their hands still hadn't lost their hold on each other in the night. Mikleo was currently turned on his side, facing Sorey, the fingers on his own right hand holding Sorey's as delicately as they would with a feather. He was still sleeping, his mouth parted open slightly, breaths gentle and quiet. His hair was adorably ruffled from his sleep, the fringe out of place a little and partly revealing the circlet which lay beneath it.

Sorey swallowed, feeling his heart rate increase a little. Mikleo's beauty was something he could never become accustomed to.

One image crossed his mind which caused him to sit up and bring the hand which had been holding Mikleo's to his mouth. It was only for a moment, but he had imagined brushing his lips against Mikleo's.

His face grew red, unable to tear his gaze away from Mikleo despite the fact that looking at him only made him worse. _'I have_ no _idea where that one came from.'_

He calmed down when Mikleo began to move, as though he was noticing that the warmth from another hand had vanished. Seeming like he sought comfort from touch, like Sorey had seen him do before, his wings wrapped around him instead, pushing the duvet over him down slightly.

Sorey didn't have to watch for long to see that every now and then, Mikleo would frown or furrow his eyebrows in his sleep. Sorey wasn't sure whether it was caused by sleeping in severe pain or simply from nightmares, but it was saddening either way.

He stroked Mikleo's hair gently for a moment, a small smile on his face when Mikleo curled up more from the touch, before he sighed and got up from the bed.

Once he did so, he realised he had fallen asleep in his uniform, which were far too creased for the kind of presentation he had to keep up, never mind with the blood-stained shirt from the night before. Luckily, he had spares in his drawer.

He glanced at the shirt he had left hung over a chair, before his gaze shifted to his shoulder. The mark seemed even fainter now, not even 12 hours later. It was absolutely incredible.

No matter what Mikleo might have thought about himself, he was anything but weak. He had an incredibly strong mind, and to have powers to heal like this? Strength doesn't lie in just that which is physical strength. Mikleo was a perfect example of that.

But when Sorey remembered that Mikleo had been able to attack even without a weapon like the woman had held, he knew that _with_ a weapon, he'd likely be strong physically, too.

A perfect combination which could easily be envied. Not by Sorey, however; he only saw it as inspiring. It filled him with admiration.

He looked back over at Mikleo for a moment before grabbing his spare uniform out of the drawers, folding them over his arm and opening the door, closing it carefully behind him to make little noise. He then made his way to the bathroom.

The thoughts which had been running through his mind the night before were starting to return to him once again. Too restless from them to shower, he simply washed himself from the sink, shaved off a little stubble which had been growing on his cheeks and threw on his uniform. His mind was still running wild once he had finished, considering his thoughts had been racing through the entire process.

If _his_ mind was like this, then it must have been horrendous for Mikleo.

He was at least distracted a moment later once he noticed intense hunger pains, realising that because he had been in such a rush to get to Mikleo's side, he hadn't eaten at all following work. And so he walked over to the kitchen, pouring batter into a frying back whilst water boiled in the kettle. He usually enjoyed cooking despite how he wasn't very advanced at it, but not today.

Still, he found himself smiling again when he remembered how he now, at least, knew Mikleo's name. It felt like it brought him closer to Mikleo, the name feeling more personal than one he had simply given him temporarily. It brought him a feeling of familiarity and home which he didn't want to let go of.

Perhaps if Mikleo ever mentioned how he was a liability again, Sorey would express just how much simply Mikleo's name made him feel.

Feeling refreshed after a plate of pancakes and a mug of coffee, Sorey found himself guiltily looking back at the frying pan. He poured more batter into it after just seconds of thought, turning on the flame again. He didn't know what time Mikleo would be awake, but just in case it was soon, Sorey couldn't leave him without anything.

Knowing Mikleo's preferences by now, he sprinkled on some sugar and put just a drop of syrup in the centre. Once it was prepared, he grabbed a small notebook and pen, writing a note just in case Mikleo hadn't woken up by the time Sorey had to leave for work.

 _'I know it might be cold by now, but I wanted to make you breakfast for when you woke up! Don't push yourself today and take it easy. Don't worry about getting things done, just look out for yourself and have a much deserved break!_ _'_

Hoping that Mikleo would listen to the note and not feel inclined to exert himself regardless, Sorey brought the plate and note to his room, placing them down onto the bedside table. Mikleo was still lying in the same position, though his hand was gripping the bedsheets.

Face fallen, Sorey reached a hand out to Mikleo, but halted when he thought he heard a faint knocking in the distance. Curiosity building, he quietly exited the bedroom, soon realising that he had _definitely_ heard knocking. It had stopped now, the person outside now waiting for him. He pulled off the chain on the door and opened it.

He hadn't expected to meet the eyes of the angel who had saved them the previous night.

“I am sorry I am here so early, I was just too worried,” the woman said. It sounded a lot calmer now than during the frenzy with the monsters. It was a voice which could soothe Sorey's soul and ease his mind. “May I come in?”

“Um, sure,” Sorey said, still a little surprised. He stood to one side and gestured for her to enter. She smiled kindly, bowing her head for a moment before entering. Sorey peeked out of the doorway to make sure no one had been watching the scene. He then closed the door, turning back to the women, who was eyeing the shelves of books in the room. “Can I just, uh, ask how you knew where I lived?”

Her body rotated so she could smile at him. “After I purified the hellions, I followed the essence of Mikleo's power to make sure you both didn't come in harm's way. We can sense when other angels use magic, you see. There's something about it which lingers. I waited until the morning to visit.”

Purified? Hellions? Apparently he wasn't getting any explanation about those two words for the time being, or at least, she was waiting for him to ask. He decided that manners should come first.

“Ah, I see! Can I get you anything?” Sorey asked. The woman shook her head.

“I'm fine, thank you. I'm a little too restless for anything.”

Sorey nodded in understanding. He knew that feeling all too well.

“Then sit down, if you like.”

She sat down on one side of the sofa, Sorey on the other. He was able to truly see the extent of her beauty now he was not in panic and she was in a lit room. Her eyes were large and a beautiful turquoise, contradictory to her wielding of fire, and were framed with dark eyelashes despite the paleness of her hair. Upon close inspection, you could see that it was from a few coats of mascara. The beauty of those eyes could cause hearts to stop. She seemed to hold herself with grace; one leg was currently over the other, similar to how Mikleo usually sat, and her hands rested on her knee, the fingers long and slender.

“I am sure that you have many questions to ask me,” she started.

“I do, yeah,” Sorey replied with a small chuckle. “Are you … the Lady of the Lake?”

She nodded. “Yes, I am. My name is Lailah.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Lailah,” Sorey smiled. “I'm Sorey.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, too.” She glanced at the doors leading out of the room. “Where is Mikleo?”

“He's sleeping in my room.”

Lailah nodded, letting out a sigh. “I thought he may have been. Those were very harsh injuries he received last night. His body needs that rest. He may not wake for a while.”

“Do you know Mikleo?”

“I do, yes… Our duties on Earth have made us cross paths many times.” She tilted her head in curiosity. “Has he never mentioned me?”

“Well...”

Her expression grew concerned then, shifting her body so that she faced Sorey fully. “Did something happen to him?”

Sorey hesitated before he spoke. “I found him 15 days ago after my shift, unconscious at the park. When he woke up the next morning, he couldn't remember anything.”

“Anything?” Lailah whispered, looking a little horrified. “Anything at all?”

Sorey nodded. “He couldn't even remember his own name until last night.”

“Oh no.” Lailah leant forward for a moment, head in her hands. “This doesn't usually happen when angels cross worlds… Something must have happened during the process.”

“Do you have no one you can speak to about that?”

She shook her head, sitting back up to her graceful posture. “I'm afraid not. My magic power has been … limited, as of late, so I haven't been able to contact those outside of this world. I only have access to prayer, just like humans. But prayers are a gamble; you do not know who is listening to those prayers, and I can't take the chance of a demon potentially listening instead of an angel.”

“Wait, do demons exist, too?”

“But of course. Angels can't exist without them, the same as good not being able to exist without evil. It's all balance.”

Sorey's thoughts went to those beasts last night, the ones which had seemed far too abnormal to be anything from this world, their red eyes glowing with an amount of malice and insanity he had never seen. “Were those things last night – I think you called them hellions – the same as demons?”

“Not exactly. It's a little complicated, and if Mikleo has lost his memory...” She let out another sigh. Sorey could have sworn there was a little guilt in her eyes. “I should explain everything to you both when he wakes.”

“That would be easier. One thing, though… Did Mikleo come from Heaven?”

“Yes, though Heaven is a little different to what humans think. You see, as it's the afterlife, it's a lot like earth, only much calmer and more serene. Mikleo's home in Heaven was a place called Elysia, though he was on Earth more often.”

Even the name alone sounded beautiful. “I'm sure it's wonderful there.”

“That is what I've heard. It's like nowhere you could ever find on Earth.”

“I take it that you came from a different part of Heaven?”

“Well, I didn't live in Heaven for very long at all before I was sent here as Ladylake's guardian,” Lailah explained. “I've been an angel for a long time now, so the time I _did_ spend living there have mostly been forgotten.”

“How long _have_ you been an angel?”

He realised that question was a mistake. Lailah turned her head to the side, letting out a small _'hmph_ '.

“Would you ask a woman here who is not young what her age was?”

“Um… No?”

“Then don't ask a woman such as myself how long I've been an angel. It is the same thing and a _very_ sensitive topic!” Though now she was laughing; it was a laugh just as pleasant as her voice. She spoke more seriously when her laughing stopped. “Can I see him?”

Sorey nodded, getting up off the sofa. “My bedroom's over here.”

He pushed the door handle down slowly, flinching when the door creaked, but it wasn't loud enough to disturb Mikleo sleeping inside. Sorey heard her let out a quiet gasp when she followed him inside, and when he turned to face her, she had pained eyes.

“Even after everything that's happened...” she said softly, walking over to the bed. Sorey's head lowered, eyebrows furrowing; that's exactly what he had been saying to himself, too.

But Lailah's gaze over Mikleo was different to Sorey's. His was affectionate, adoring, sympathetic; a kind of gaze he would save for no one else. On the other hand, whilst Lailah's also expressed affection, she seemed more empathetic than sympathetic and her gaze was like one she would have for a child of hers. Her attitude was also motherly; protective, but in a way which seemed entirely different to Sorey's own protectiveness.

It left him feeling a little confused, but he settled on how he had always lived his life as a protective individual and had those instincts grow further through being on the police force.

“I'm afraid that my power has reduced a little further after last night,” Lailah said, her voice quiet so she didn't disturb Mikleo. “But I may be able to help him a little.” She took out a talisman, Sorey watching as she did so, and she held it above Mikleo's chest. Her eyes were ultimately focused before they closed. _“Imbuement.”_

A red light conjured from the paper in her hand, Mikleo's body glowing beautifully as the light cast over him, his hair fluttering in a gentle breeze caused by the magic. When the light faded, Lailah gently pulled back one of the bandages on his calf, sighing when she saw that whilst the wound had healed a little, it was still harsh. She checked another wound, the result the exact same. “I'm sorry, I think I still need to give myself time to recover.” Emphasising her words, a hand was on Lailah's forehead, Sorey assuming that the use of her power was causing it to ache. “I will be better than this soon, I promise.”

“Don't be apologetic!” Sorey said, smiling at her encouragingly. “You still helped ease his wounds, which is more than what I can do.”

Lailah smiled back gratefully. “If only my element was also water, then I would be a little more useful.” She looked at Mikleo's face, her expression fond. “Angels who wield water are particularly good healers, despite how all angels are creatures of a healing nature. Not only is their magic suited for such abilities, but they also have the perfect collected personality to heal with. An angel who wields fire cannot compare their healing abilities to that.”

Sorey didn't want to agree, but then he remembered how well Mikleo was able to heal Sorey's shoulder without the use of a weapon, even whilst he was on the brink of unconsciousness. Whilst he didn't doubt Lailah's abilities in the slightest, he also couldn't deny how different elements _did_ seem to have their own specialities. It was just like the nature of humans bringing them to certain talents and abilities.

“We wouldn't be here without you, though,” Sorey said to her. “I only saw a glimpse of your power, but man, it was awesome! If you're like that now _whilst_ your power is meant to be low, I definitely wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of you!

Lailah let out a small giggle. “My, you do have a way to encourage people, don't you?”

“Heh, I guess I do,” Sorey grinned, scratching the back of his head. He glanced over at the clock, eyes almost popping out when he noticed the time. “Crap, I better go before I get there late! But...” His eyes trailed to Mikleo. Similarly to when Sorey first found him, he didn't want to leave him by himself. But he had no other choice but to go to work now.

Lailah took note of his temporary distress. “It's okay, Sorey. I can watch over him whilst you're gone. As long as I am fine to remain here, of course.”

“That's absolutely fine, but are you sure?”

“Of course. I am certain that nothing will attack this place,” she said, her voice sounded knowing, though she didn't expand on those words as she continued, “but I understand how you don't want to leave him alone. I would like to attempt to heal him more if I can, anyway. So I'm fine to stay here.”

Sorey grinned, “Thank you, Lailah. I really appreciate it. Just don't push yourself too much, okay? I naturally want Mikleo to heal, of course, but not at the expense of your own health.”

“You really are such a kind person, Sorey.”

“Yeah… I get that a lot. I just act naturally.”

Lailah smiled, “That makes it even better.”

She watched from the doorway to the bedroom as Sorey grabbed his car keys off the coffee table. “Feel free to help yourself to anything whilst I'm gone!” he exclaimed, before he left in a hurry. Once he was gone, she turned back to Mikleo, pain stabbing at her heart.

“You didn't ask for this fate at all,” she murmured softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her fingers gently touched the side of his warm face, with the softness of a devoted parent. “Whilst there's beauty behind it, it puts you at the risk none of us ever wanted you to face.”

She found her eyes shifting to the bedside table, where the plate of pancakes Sorey had made earlier lay. She got to her feet, hand trailing on the paper of the notepad Sorey had left there. A heartfelt, appreciating smile grew on her face when she read the words he had wrote.

A very kind person indeed. Mikleo couldn't have had a better human to play such a huge role in his life.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey's mind was distracted through all of his shift and it was definitely obvious.

Several times did he have to ask Alisha to repeat herself, a couple of times he forgot where they were heading and needed to be reminded by her, and once he got so caught up in his thoughts that he walked straight into a lamppost. Alisha had been far too concerned to laugh, despite the fact that it _was_ a little comical. She had flinched terribly at the loud _'clank'_ the impact had made.

“Sorey, are you sure you're okay?” she asked once again, putting a hand on his shoulder as he rubbed his head. “There must be something on your mind.”

“… There is, Alisha,” he admitted. There was no way he could lie to her now, and thanks to him being a bad liar anyway, she hadn't believed what he had been saying so far. “But it's kind of personal to, uh, someone who isn't me. So it's not exactly something I can talk about.”

“I understand completely. Please forgive me for saying this; I'm speaking as a police officer rather than your partner and friend. But with the patrolling we have to cover, it would really be best if you tried to keep personal matters away from your mind. I really am sorry, Sorey, I'm sure that didn't come out right...”

“Nah, don't worry about it,” he said, smiling reassuringly at her. “You're right, thank you.”

He did try to take her advice, though he was only able to focus enough to not slip up again. It was hard to focus on his job when all he could think about was Mikleo suffering in his sleep back home.

Though soon, he had a reason to be distracted. It just wasn't a very positive one.

“What's the matter, Sergei?” Alisha spoke into her mobile, the ringing of which brought Sorey back again. “Why are you calling instead?”

“ _I needed something quicker. There's a young adult here; he stole some money from a convenience store and made his way down-town. We're advancing on him now, but the man is very unstable. He has a gun on him and is threatening to shoot anyone who gets close to him. We could use your backup.”_

“Of course. Give me the address.” She wrote it down onto a small notepad. “Thank you, Sergei. We'll be right there.”

She ended the call, gesturing to the car. “Come on, we have to hurry.”

Sorey nodded, both running over to the car and getting in their respectable sides, engine immediately started. He switched the siren on, pushing his foot down onto the pedal to drive as fast as he dared.

Naturally, Alisha was used to this, and let out a sigh as she placed a hand on her cheek, looking out of the window. “I hope that Rose doesn't burn our food again after a day like this.”

Sorey laughed. “It's Rose, so I wouldn't be so sure.”

They arrived before long at their speed, greeted by Sergei the moment they got out of the car.

“Thank you for coming,” he said, looking down at both of them. “We definitely need the help of you two.”

“Where is he?” Alisha asked. She didn't have to; as soon as she said those words, there was shouting from around the corner, inside an alleyway.

“ _Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot!”_

“I'm worried that they'll have to bring snipers before long, just in case he does try to shoot,” Sergei said, the worry he expressed evident in his voice.

“He's in distress, right?” Sorey questioned.

Sergei nodded. “He is, he's very panicked.”

“Then I'll speak to him.”

“Sorey, don't do anything reckless!” Alisha exclaimed, but Sorey just grinned at her.

“It's fine, I know what I'm doing.”

“But-”

Her voice stopped when Sergei put his hand on her shoulder. “Sorey's recklessness has helped us many times in the past. It's why I called you both, though of course, I don't mean to take advantage of him.”

“I'll go keep an eye on him,” Alisha said, following Sorey's footsteps. He was steadily approaching the man from a distance right now, posture calm.

“Hey, you okay?” he spoke out, not flinching when the gun was aimed at him.

“Don't come any closer, or I swear I'll shoot!”

“I don't think you want to do that. Whatever has made you have to do this, it's not worth killing someone for. You know that, don't you?”

The man hesitated, but his grip on the gun remained firm. “You don't know anything.”

“I know that you've probably not stolen that money for no reason,” Sorey pushed, but his voice was gentle. He was reckless, but he also wasn't completely foolish. “And that it's not something you wanted to have done. Please, lower the gun and don't do something you'd regret. I'm here to help you.”

As Sorey's kind words always did in the past, for a moment, the man seemed to have listened, the gun lowering along with the man's gaze.

But then, unlike the usual, the man suddenly raised the gun back up, eyes glaring.

And they didn't just glare. They shone the demonic red of the beasts Sorey had encountered last night, his skin suddenly grey, as though the man wasn't completely human any more. It struck the same fear in Sorey's heart, body paralysed for a moment, but he was quick to shake the fear away. Images of Mikleo flickered through his mind. He couldn't let that happen again to anyone.

“You don't know anything!” the man screamed. “You guys all act as if you know everything about us, but you don't care at all!”

“Sorey, he's going to shoot!” Alisha shouted, pulling her gun out of its holster. Sorey threw his hand to the side.

“Don't shoot him!” he bellowed back. If this man was in the same situation as those dogs, they would be shooting an innocent man. But Sorey also knew that his words would do nothing, not when he was like this.

Mentally uttering a prayer, Sorey leapt forward, ducking his head. The man shot out of panic, but his aim was completely off, shooting past Sorey's arm and into a dumpster behind them. Sorey swiped a kick to the back of the men's legs, grabbing the wrist of the hand which held onto the gun as he began to fall. The gun was released when a knee was shoved into his stomach, causing him to groan in pain. Sorey threw it to the ground away from him, grabbing the man's arm to twist it around his back and push him to the floor, a knee pressed against the back of his neck to keep him in place.

“He's no longer in possession of the gun!” Sorey called, grabbing his handcuffs to bind the man's wrists together. “It's fine!”

Alisha was the first to jog over. “Sorey, you reckless, _stupid_ individual!” she cried out, hand slapping at his shoulder. Sorey only turned, shrugged and grinned at her sheepishly. The grin grew when he saw that she seemed impressed despite her words.

“Great work, Sorey,” Sergei said, walking over in a much calmer state than Alisha. “Your training has certainly paid off.”

Sorey held up his hand in a peace sign, though the grin on his face faltered when he looked down at the man. Their eyes met; the other pair were no longer gleaming red, instead fading to frightened brown eyes.

“I don't … I don't understand...”

“He's very distraught,” Sorey said to Sergei. “Please be careful with him.”

“We will,” the officer said, pulling the man onto his trembling legs. “Thank you for your help.”

“Don't mention it, it's what I was here for!” Sorey exclaimed, but then he let out a groan. “Oh God, not _another_ report...”

“We should go get started on those,” Alisha laughed, placing her hand onto Sorey's arm for a moment. “Come on, hero.”

Though it turned out that when they returned to the station, his reports, if anything, went by quickly. He had grown to be able to write them naturally, and his thoughts were keeping him distracted and making time flow by faster.

The human hadn't completely been taken over, definitely not like the dogs had been. The incident would have likely been a lot worse if he had been. But the temporary demonic sight of the man had clearly shown it had been the same kind of situation.

He needed answers from Lailah, and he needed them fast.

“I've got to get home quickly,” Sorey remarked to Alisha once he had finished his report. “Sorry if I haven't been myself because of that.”

“It's fine, you've just seemed like you're distracted, that's all,” she smiled reassuringly. He smiled back, closing a file on his desk.

“I'll see you tomorrow!”

“Have a nice evening,” she responded, watching him hurriedly exit the room. Another smile tugged at her lips at the thought of why exactly he might have constantly been in such a hurry these days.

Meanwhile, Sorey was driving home as fast as the speed limit would allow him, thanking the Gods silently when he came across very little traffic. He pulled up by the apartment block, locked his car and bounded up the stairs.

“I'm back!” he called into the apartment as he entered it, closing the door behind him. Lailah popped her head around the doorway to the kitchen, a warm smile on her face and a cup of tea in her hand.

“Welcome home, Sorey.” She finished off the liquid, re-entering the kitchen once again to place the mug in the dishwasher before she walked over to Sorey, who was taking off his boots and placing them down by the door. “Mikleo hasn't woken up yet, I'm afraid.”

“He hasn't?” He looked crestfallen when Lailah shook her head. “I see. I don't think he's been sleeping much though, so his body really does need this to recover.”

“Yes, very much so. I also feel some of my power restoring from last night, so I shall be able to heal his injuries more soon. I'm sorry it has taken so long.”

“No, don't apologise!” Sorey exclaimed reassuringly. “It's not your fault, and I wouldn't want you to harm yourself.” He felt as though there was a reasoning behind her struggles, but he decided against asking her about that just yet. He didn't want to accidentally pry on anything personal. “I'm going to go and see him.”

Lailah simply smiled, feeling fondness over his care as she followed him to the bedroom. He opened the door just as steadily as he had earlier that day, but his slow, gentle movements increased in speed and urgency when his eyes landed on Mikleo's face.

The expression hadn't changed much aside from the eyebrows furrowing more consistently, but the tears which dampened his cheeks were brought to Sorey's attention immediately.

“Mikleo?” he spoke out softly.

“He wasn't like that when I saw him last, and that wasn't very long ago,” Lailah informed him, her voice concerned.

“Hey.” His voice remained just as soft, sitting down, a thumb rubbing circular motions on Mikleo's shoulder. One of the last things he wanted to do was wake him, but he felt like he had little choice, _especially_ when a small, barely audible whimper escaped from Mikleo's parted lips. “Mikleo, can you hear me? Mikleo?”

 

* * *

 

 

_The sharp sound of a slap was followed by a cry, the receiver immediately being shielded by his mother holding out her hands either side._

“ _Michael!” she shouted at him, her son watching her back with tears welling in his eyes, hand holding his face. The metal of a ring had caught the sensitive skin of his lip, causing a small bead of blood to form. “I can take you raising your hand at me, but I won't ever stand for you doing this to your own nephew!”_

“ _You two are living under_ my _house under_ my _rules!” the man bellowed back. “If this brat of yours can't go by them, then he's got to be disciplined!”_

“ _He feels comfort in the rain, Michael. I'm not condoning him_ _going to the park_ _without permission, but with all of the tension there is here, surely you can understand why he felt desperate to go outside?”_

“ _He's nine-years-old. He's old enough now to deal with a bit of family drama.”_

“' _Family drama?' It can hardly be labelled so lightly! You were never like this before, Michael… It's like you've been possessed. What happened to you?”_

 _Michael scoffed, turning on his heel towards the door. “_ _All you two have done is take advantage of me after the death of your damn husband_ _. There's no appreciation for what I do at all._ That's _why I don't seem the same to you any more.”_

 _The man exited the room, slamming the door behind him. The woman_ _could only stare_ _at it for a moment,_ _frozen to the spot,_ _but then she heard the cries of her son. Pain stabbing her heart_ _with the harshness of a knife_ _, she crouched down next to him, wiping the blood away from his mouth and tears away from his eyes._

“ _Come here, darling,” she said softly, pulling him into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her neck, burying his head into her shoulder._

“ _I don't want to live with him any more, mum. I'm sick of crying all the time.”_

“ _I know, Mikleo. But it's okay to cry. Eventually, you won't have to. We'll be away from him before long, away from danger.”_

“ _How?” The boy pulled away, looking at her with large, questioning eyes._

“ _I have a friend in Pendrago who has offered to take us in,” his mother answered, smiling. “She said she'll help me get a job, and before long, I'll be_ _back_ _on my own two feet.”_

“ _That's so far from Ladylake...”_

“ _I know_ _sweetheart,_ _but it's our only choice. You'll make new friends.”_

“ _I don't want any other friends.”_

“ _We'll come back to Ladylake someday.” Her voice was reassuring, her words emphasised by a kiss on his head. “I promise you. We just need to be somewhere else for now.”_

_There was a long pause before Mikleo finally nodded. “Okay.”_

_And then there was a voice, calling out to him from a distance which felt like miles away._

“ _Mikleo...”_

His eyes slowly opened, blinking into focus as bright light hit them. Their gaze landed on Sorey leaning over him, worry and concern etched on his face. It was still there when he smiled out of relief, but his shoulders had relaxed.

“Oh, thank God,” he sighed. “You were worrying me.”

“I'm fine, I just...” He touched his cheek, realising where Sorey's emotions had come from when he felt its wetness.

“Do you know why you were crying? Was it from the pain?”

“No, it wasn't that,” Mikleo said. His voice was hoarse, sounding like he was struggling to speak. He coughed, holding his throat. “Can I have some water?”

“I'll go fetch some,” Lailah spoke up, hurrying out of the room. Mikleo blinked, looking at Sorey with curiosity.

“That was...”

“The woman from last night. She's called Lailah; she's the Lady of the Lake.”

“Wow,” Mikleo said, astonished. “You have a living legend in your apartment.”

“I didn't actually think of it that way, but yeah, I do!”

“Lailah… That's the name of a guardian angel of my studies. And I recognise her name from elsewhere...”

“Well, she said you two crossed paths a lot. Maybe you can remember her slightly.”

The topic of their conversation then returned with a large glass of water in her hand, holding it out to Mikleo. He thanked her, gulping down the liquid as though he hadn't drank in days.

“Thank you,” he said when he was satisfied, wiping a hand over his mouth.

“You're most welcome.”

“So...” Sorey started awkwardly, not wanting to pry at all, but also too concerned about Mikleo to _not_ push at least a small explanation out of him. “If it wasn't pain, then why were…” His words drifted off when Mikleo's body stiffened up. “I'm sorry, I don't want to pry!”

“No, after all you've done for me, the least I can do is be honest,” he said quietly. His voice dropped even lower when he spoke again, both Sorey and Lailah having to strain their ears to pick up the sound. “I dreamt about my mother and uncle. It seems like he was abusive to both of us when I was little. We were living in Ladylake, but then we moved to Pendrago – or at least, we did if we managed to go through with her plans.”

“Oh God, Mikleo,” Sorey said softly, too saddened by Mikleo's words to acknowledge positivity on how a memory from his human life had been restored, even if it was something negative. “I'm so sorry.”

“It's okay, it was just reliving it that must have got to me this much.” A hand went to his cheek. “It stung a lot, but it wasn't really that which got to me. It was the emotion from it. Fear, uncertainty of what was to come, my mother's pain for me ... and...”

“And...?”

“Loneliness,” he continued, his voice fragile. “When she talked about moving away. Overwhelming loneliness and a feeling of loss.”

Sorey held onto Mikleo's hand, squeezing it gently. “You're not alone any more,” he murmured softly. The room was silent after those words, no one sure on how exactly how to break it, or even if they should. But then Lailah spoke up, sounding apologetic over doing so.

“I'm going to try healing again now I have more power,” she said. Sorey nodded, removing his hand from Mikleo's and stepping away from the bed to make room. The warmth from his touch still lingered on Mikleo's hand; it was the kind of welcoming warmth he would want to feel forever, as much as he tried to deny it. His thoughts came back to reality when Lailah was standing closer to his bed, holding out a talisman. She inhaled deeply, and this time, she closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them again. _“Imbuement!”_

The light radiating around Mikleo's body was brighter this time, the faintness now vivid. The beautiful sight brought a blowing of air which pushed back all three of their hair; the long strands from Lailah's head flowed all around her, making the scene even more incredible. It stopped almost as quickly as it started, leaving Lailah breathing heavily, but with a satisfied smile on her face.

“ _Wow,_ ” Sorey breathed out when he pulled back two of the loose bandages on Mikleo's legs. Whilst they hadn't healed as well as Sorey's bite on his shoulder had, they were still a lot better than they had been. Mikleo seemed to be more lively all of a sudden, unwrapping one of the bandages on his arm.

“This is the same … everywhere?” he asked, staring at the healing wound with wide eyes.

“That's right,” she replied. “Though believe me, as one who wields water, you would be able to do even stronger healing magic if you had a weapon like mine. Without one, you can only heal one wound at a time, but even then, it would likely heal more so than this.”

“Yeah, he's already healed my shoulder,” Sorey informed her, placing a hand on it momentarily. “But still, that was incredible, Lailah!”

She smiled at the praise. “Thank you. I hadn't expected to do so well, what with how much my power has depleted recently… That's what happens when you've been out of Heaven with no return, whilst having no vessel.” She laughed softly when Sorey and Mikleo, the latter now sitting up, had both leaned forward with concentrating eyes. “I suppose you have many questions you wish to be answered right now.”

“Absolutely,” Sorey answered.

“Please, Lailah."

She nodded. “You must understand that I do not know of everything which is happening myself, considering I have had no contact with Heaven as of late.”

“Of course, that's understandable,” Sorey responded.

“And there are certain things I cannot say,” she continued. “It would be breaking my oath, and there are some things I could tell you which are much better off learnt by yourself.”

When both of them nodded in understanding, she took a deep breath, wondering where exactly she could start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's an obvious hint: To add more angst to your already angsty story, add in Michael, the problematic uncle, as a character *thumbs up*
> 
> Really though, everything I do (yes, including my torturing of Mikleo) has a level of importance to it and I can't wait to show that! Though despite how this chapter ends, naturally, not everything will suddenly be explained in the next chapter. After all, that would ruin the pacing! It will mostly answer a few questions about how this story works and everything.
> 
> Still, I hope you're looking forward to it! Thank you as always for reading.


	8. Life of the Unseen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lailah informs Sorey and Mikleo about the life of angels, the duties they have, dangers they face and also the role of the Shepherd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little more dialogue heavy than usual, though it couldn't have been helped too much due to the information I needed Lailah to give. Hopefully it is still enjoyable!

Lailah stood with her hands pressed against each other, index fingers tapping against each other as she thought over her words. “I suppose the best place for me to start is giving you an explanation of our kind.”

Mikleo nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think so, too.”

“As you've probably been able to tell already, humans weren't very correct in their beliefs about our kind,” she began. “Their most accurate belief as a whole is in guardian angels, which I'll get to in a moment. But as for becoming an angel… I hope that you already know that you're...”

“I do,” he responded, voice a little quieter. “I already know I'm dead.”

Lailah breathed out in relief. “Thank goodness. It's a lot easier to tell people who are dying what is happening, as they're at peace, but telling an angel with amnesia… Anyway, every angel was once a human. There were never any made by God – in actual fact, angels ourselves cannot know for sure if Gods actually assist. We worship five Lords, angels who had a large reign of superiority during their existence, but Gods are a different story. We are rather agnostic when it comes to our beliefs about them, as  _we_  are the ones who maintain order, which might be a bit of a surprise if you grew up with human beliefs.

“Not everyone becomes an angel, however. It's not a case of a human dying and then being sent to either Heaven or Hell. The purest humans are the ones who are sent to Heaven, the least pure are sent to Hell and the ones in between are reincarnated to live on Earth again.”

“Who decides on where each human goes?” Sorey questioned.

“Angels themselves. Only certain ones, however. That's where guardian angels come in.” She placed a hand on her chest, a rather proud smile on her face. “I am the guardian angel of the whole of Ladylake. I was sent here centuries ago with the duty to watch over every soul here. You see, there are certain trusted angels who are sent back to Earth to become guardians. Most of the time, it's a whole village, town or city. Though there are some particularly important humans who are watched over by an additional angel. These are ones who we predict have the potential to change the world for the better, and they usually have a higher resonance which allows them to sense us more than others. We are rarely seen by humans, however.” Her hand lowered then, her expression saddening slightly. “It's a lonely duty. Angels in Heaven… They're surrounded by love and peace. But guardian angels on Earth… They rarely come into contact with other angels. We return to Heaven at times, but most of the time, we're alone.”

“You must be very strong to deal with that,” Sorey commented, a sad smile on his face. Mikleo nodded in agreement.

Lailah smiled back, her expression brightening a little. “Thank you, though I can assure you that there are many others just like me. So yes… Contrary to popular belief, the one who brings souls to the afterlife isn't a figure like the Grim Reaper. It's merely us. When a human in our domain dies, it is our duty to take them to the afterlife. I take it that you've been able to sense Sorey's soul, Mikleo?”

“Yes,” he answered, glancing at Sorey. “It's completely pure.” The words he spoke brought a small smile to his face, looking away with a faint blush.

“That purity is something we watch over during our time as the human's guardian angel,” Lailah continued, face expressing fondness over Mikleo's actions. “We spend the whole of a human's life judging where they shall go. Usually, the decision is clear. This task might seem frightening at first. How does one tell someone that they're dead? Though it's a question which is answered for every guardian angel's first time. The soul often already knows that they died, the peace and quiet of Purgatory putting them at ease. It's simply a matter of reassuring them that there is life for them beyond that place.

“Though the duty of guardian angels is not just limited to watching over humans. It is our presence on here which helps to maintain the balance of the elements.”

“That's so cool!” Sorey exclaimed. “So _that's_ why the windows at the church represented the elements.” He turned to Mikleo, looking a little impressed. “That makes you a guardian of water.”

“Mikleo was merely training to be a guardian angel and was only introduced to his duties, the incident with his memories coming in the way of him flourishing fully,” Lailah explained. “But yes, he maintains water.”

“What happens to the elements if there aren't enough angels to maintain them?” Mikleo asked.

“Natural disasters and problems with climate and the earth. Hurricanes, droughts, floods, soil unable to be used for crops… Often times, our presences are fighting against malevolence, and if there aren't enough of us in that region to battle it, that's when disasters occur.”

“Malevolence...” Sorey echoed, looking at Mikleo. “That's the word you've been using to describe what you feel, right?”

Mikleo nodded. “The sensation of something weighing down on your chest.”

“Yes, that is indeed malevolence. It is caused by the negative feelings and actions of humans. Pride, greed, envy… Really, it's any sin and crime. All humans have malevolence unless they're pure of heart.”

“Like Sorey,” Mikleo said softly. Lailah nodded, smiling.

“Very much so. Now, Hell does take advantage of this malevolence sometimes, as much as they're not supposed to. Malevolence caused by humans is enough to maintain a balance between good and evil, considering that malevolence was put inside humans by demons in agreement with angels. However, there are _some_ demons who like to escalate the malevolence.”

“Is that when you get... What did you call them...” Sorey pondered for a moment before his hand smacked down onto his palm. “Ah! Hellions."

“That's exactly right,” Lailah nodded. “Any great deal of malevolence can cause hellions, though we try our best to stop this. Demons are normal; they are the opposite of us, and are what humans become when they are sent to Hell. But hellions… Well, as you've likely been able to tell, angels and demons are almost the same as humans, separated by merely death and our magic. We eat, drink, sleep… We function the same as you do. Hellions, on the other hand, are simply created monsters. When an angel sees one, they have to purify it immediately.

“Unfortunately, however, not every angel can do this. It is why I haven't returned to Heaven in so long; my flames of purification are a rare gift. Luckily, the malevolence only tends to take over animals, though it's very saddening that it's like this. Those poor, innocent creatures have to live with the consequences of the actions of humans.”

“But humans _can_ be turned into a hellion too, right?”

“Yes. Like with angels becoming hellions, it's a lot rarer, but far more dangerous.” Lailah looked at him both curiously and with a little concern. “Why do you seem so sure about that?”

“On my shift today, it seemed like the criminal I was dealing with was in the process of being transformed into a hellion. Luckily, it stopped once I took him down. He was just shaken and everything.”

“You didn't tell me that!” Mikleo exclaimed, grabbing Sorey by his arms. “Did it hurt you?”

“I didn't tell you because you've been Sleeping Beauty all day,” Sorey responded, laughing at the flush on Mikleo's cheeks. His expression softened. “Don't worry, it was fine. I don't think he was very close to being taken over.”

“No, he couldn't have been,” Lailah confirmed. “There is no possible way for you to have dealt with him if he had been. You were very lucky, Sorey. You must have managed to ease the malevolence before it grew to the point of needing to be purified.”

“I told you I was lucky,” Sorey grinned at Mikleo. “So I'm fine, see?”

“Just be careful,” Mikleo said quietly, letting go of Sorey's arms and looking down at the bed sheets. “That could have been a close one.”

“Mikleo is right, though there's no need to worry. I'll be getting to that in time.” She hummed in thought, tapping a finger against her lips. “In fact, I should be getting to that fairly quickly… I've already covered a lot.”

“There's one thing I want to ask,” said Sorey. His voice lacked its usual enthusiasm and the bubbly, energetic tone. Mikleo found his gaze fixing on him because of that, feeling slightly nervous about what question would cause him to be like this.

Lailah noticed this too, reacting with having a lower voice herself. “What is it?”

“Can angels die?”

Mikleo inhaled sharply at that question, mind returning to the horrendous event from the night before. He looked down at his hands again out of guilt, unable to meet either of their eyes.

“Yes, we can die,” Lailah confirmed, seeming a little bit hesitant to do so. Mikleo felt her eyes on him, causing him to suddenly feel a lot smaller. “It takes more to kill us than it does for humans. For example, a human could have possibly died from the amount of blood Mikleo lost last night, if their body wasn't strong enough. We can fall from distances the same as humans, yet survive whilst they do not. But yes, we can die.”

Mikleo looked up at Sorey when he felt a hand resting on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. Sorey was staring straight at Lailah, but even from a side profile, Mikleo could see intense protectiveness burning in those eyes.

“So does every angel die eventually?”

“Yes, we do,” she nodded. “It is a part of the cycle of life. Every soul has to be recycled, you see. Some of the old qualities remain, but everything changes over time. How long an angel lasts varies; the average is usually 1,000 years, but healthier angels can last for up to double that. Of course, that's by a natural death. We can die younger if it's by other means.”

“Like hellions?”

“Demons are much more likely to bring us down than hellions, if they are the type to try and fight us. But yes, if an angel can't defend themselves, they could be killed by hellions.”

Mikleo was finding himself to feel a little dizzy by now, realising just how much he had escaped by the skin of his teeth. Sorey had felt his body stiffening under his hand, and finally looked down at him, smiling reassuringly.

“It's okay,” he told him softly. “You didn't even know what they were, never mind that you could die.”

Mikleo didn't meet his gaze, looking back down at his hands again. “It was still stupid of me.”

“Going to a church alone is _not_ stupid,” Lailah corrected him. Mikleo's head shot up, having not expected her to use such a firm tone. “You have scarce memories, Mikleo. How were you supposed to know that there was danger in being alone, especially considering it's a church?”

“I did...” he started, hesitating. “I did feel like I would be safe there.”

“And for good reason. The church itself is protected from evil forces. I just have no control on the outside of it.”

“Hey, why _were_ you outside it?” Sorey asked, both wanting to shift the topic away from what could make Mikleo uncomfortable and also genuinely curious.

“I wanted to see if I could find my name on any of the gravestones,” he explained. Then he cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. “And… I wanted to pay my respects to your parents' grave.”

Sorey beamed at him for that, smiling brightly. “Thank you.”

“No need.”

“There is also something more powerful than ordinary demons,” Lailah said, her voice slow as though she didn't want to speak about it, but knowing that she had to. “Those are devils.”

“Devils?” Mikleo echoed. “As in-”

“Not a ruler of Hell, no. Devils are angels which have been completely taken over by malevolence. Stronger angels with overwhelming amounts of malevolence cannot simply become hellions. I think you can understand just how much malevolence would be needed to take over their body considering they are supposed to be utterly pure.”

“I'm guessing it's harder to purify devils?” Sorey questioned. Lailah seemed to flinch a little at that question.

“We cannot purify them.” Her voice was even quieter now. With her words, her legs seemed to not be able to function as well. She sat down on the edge of the bed, head hanging with her hands on her lap. “The only way to deal with a devil is to kill them. We cannot let them roam, for even demons agree that entities so evil shift the balance far too much. We're forced to look past the angels we once loved, see them for the monsters they've become and kill them, no questions asked.”

“Have… Have you ever had to...”

She shook her head quickly. “No, which I am thankful for. I do know of a devil who is currently free and is being hunted down by two angels I am friends with, but I've never been given this task myself.”

Sorey breathed out in relief. “Thank goodness.”

“But what about...” Mikleo started, pausing for a moment to look back over his memories. “There was something written on those pillars… The Shepherd, wasn't it?”

Lailah's smile returned, sitting up straighter on the end of the bed. “Yes, you're correct. That's the language of angels we are automatically able to read once we become one. I'm glad you can still read it."

“Can the Shepherd purify a devil?”

“I'm afraid not,” she sighed, shaking her head. “They would die trying. Even for a Shepherd, killing is the only way. Though I would _never_ wish for the Shepherd to kill anyone. It goes against what they stand for.”

“What exactly _is_ the Shepherd?”

“A pure soul destined to protect the lines between Heaven, Hell and Earth, mostly by purifying excess malevolence,” Lailah explained. “They work with angels to fight against an unstable balance. This is mostly caused by malevolence, hellions and demons, but there has in fact been angels in the past who try to purify, or even destroy, _all_ evil from the world, despite how there must be at least some of it to keep control.”

“This might sound like a stupid question…” Sorey started. “But would a world without evil really be that bad?”

Lailah nodded. “Yes. Of course, it _would_ be preferred to have more good in the world, but without evil, we wouldn't be able to recognise what good is. People would grow insane from that, and smaller things which are wrong today might even be taken more seriously. Something that would only be a nuisance in your world now could become as serious as murder. Letting evil be completely vanished from this world is highly dangerous.”

“I never really thought about it that way, but I can see now why that would happen.”

“And the Shepherd,” Mikleo added. “Is there one now?”

“No,” she said, but then she turned at smiled at Sorey. “But there very well could be.”

“I - Uh, me?”

“That's what I said, isn't it?” Mikleo said, grin tugging at his lips. “ _'…_ _If_ _there's anyone who's going to be like a Hero, I'd say it was you._ _'_ It seems as though I wasn't wrong.”

“You're absolutely right,” Lailah nodded. “Sorey, surely you can see it? Most humans who have any amount of resonance can only sense our presence more than a normal human. To see and hear us as clearly as you do… That's a clear sign that you are different than anyone else. Sorey, have you _always_ had hints of this?”

“Uh… Yeah, I think so.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I mean, like I said to Mikleo the other day, I've always felt like I've had a guardian angel. Sometimes I could feel something with me and such, even a voice at times.”

She smiled knowingly over those words. “And then it escalated dramatically when you found Mikleo?”

“Yeah. I've never been able to see more than just something moving from the corner of my eye, but then from that day onwards… Why do you think that is, Lailah?”

Suddenly, the woman was staring out of the window, completely ignoring the confused gazes upon her.

“The moon is beautiful tonight," she said airily.

“… I guess that means you just asked something she can't answer,” Mikleo said, letting out a small chuckle.

“I could only partly answer that question,” she responded, her voice now serious as she turned back to them. “But I would not want to answer it even partly.”

“Why...” Sorey began, but sighed and shook his head, a small grin on his face. “Never mind, it's not worth it. So if I'm the Shepherd, then what happens now?”

“We cannot know for certain you _are_ the Shepherd, despite everything which indicates you are. The only way to tell would be for you to draw the Sacred Blade.”

“Huh? Sacred Blade?”

“A weapon which was created to be able to purify any hellion,” she explained. “It is currently a vessel for the base of my power. Though I am struggling now from how long I've been away from Heaven, this sword assists with me maintaining at least some of my strength. If you became the Shepherd, then the next step forward is to make a pact with me. _You_ would then become my vessel, restoring my power completely and giving me the strength to remain here for as long as you're alive, without any of the effects I'm receiving now.”

“Is there any way for me to become a part of this?” Mikleo questioned. He almost continued, but stopped himself. He would have rather not have sounded like he was pitying himself by saying he was sick of feeling powerless, even though he was simply frustrated.

Sorey seemed to sense this feeling, however, and spoke softly. “You don't have to throw yourself into anything if it would bring harm to you.”

“Actually, Mikleo would also play a part in this because-” She cleared her throat. “I-I mean, you could become my Sub Lord, Mikleo.” A smile then formed on her face, her eyes looking hopeful. “It is actually good that we are of different elements. It takes a lot of power to return to Heaven, especially with ties being loose like this, and our power is only heightened when we contrast with elements different to our own. If we were to gather wind and earth too, then…”

“Would that be the best chance to return there?” Mikleo questioned. Lailah nodded immediately.

“Absolutely. But there are a couple of … issues, which exist in regards to you becoming a Sub Lord. We'll go over those when we get to it.”

Unlike Mikleo, who didn't seem fazed at all by the idea of there being problems behind the pact, it was causing Sorey worry. Perhaps the issues Lailah mentioned were only small, but at the same time, they could possibly be dangerous. Mikleo had been through enough without having to deal with that.

He tried to shrug off the possibility by convincing himself that Lailah wouldn't even bother to suggest it if it put Mikleo in any severe danger, but anxiety took control. He wasn't pulled out of his thoughts until there was a hand on his arm.

“Lailah was speaking again,” said the voice of Mikleo, showing concern. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine, I just zoned out a bit from thinking,” Sorey answered, forcing an apologetic smile at Lailah as he tried to push his anxiety to the side. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I said that for now, we shall simply make our own pact and see if you are indeed the Shepherd,” she repeated. “I would rather not get my hopes up, but… Well, all signs point to it being you, so it's a little hard _not_ to.”

“Let's go do it, then!” Sorey said, springing up off the bed. He was startled when both Lailah and Mikleo exclaimed their disagreement. “Huh? Why not?”

“I would rather be at as much full strength as possible before making a pact with you,” Lailah explained. “I'm sorry, but… Well, I have lasted far too long without a strong vessel, so any amount of magic endangers me.”

“You would put yourself in that danger to save us and then heal me?” Mikleo asked, his voice soft. Lailah smiled at him sweetly.

“Absolutely.”

“I'm sorry, I didn't think!” Sorey apologised. “I'm in work tomorrow but I'm off all weekend, so we could either go tomorrow evening or on Saturday, dependent on when you're rested.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“So what was _your_ reason?” Sorey then asked Mikleo curiously. He folded his arms, looking slightly cross.

“You _still_ haven't eaten anything since you got home from work,” he scowled. “There's no way you're running off making pacts with low energy."

“Awe Sorey, I didn't realise you had such a caring housewife,” Lailah cried happily, putting her hands together. “All hard-working individuals need someone to look out for them with such care.”

“I agree!”

“I am _not_ a housewife,” Mikleo snapped, heat rising to his cheeks. “I've just cooked for him once or twice.”

“Actually, he's cooked for me pretty much everyday because he's much better at it than I am. It's usually done by the time I'm home.”

“Why are you red, Mikleo?” Lailah questioned. “It's nice to see that you're so thoughtful!”

“Come on, we're only teasing,” Sorey laughed, his expression softening. “Really, thank you. I appreciate you looking out for me.”

“Just don't burn it,” Mikleo said, rolling his eyes, but a small smile was tugging at his lips. His gaze ended up shifting to the bedside table onto the plate of pancakes, an eyebrow raising. “And who does that belong to?”

“Oh! I, uh, I made it for you this morning. It'll be off by now,” Sorey said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I'll clean it up.”

Mikleo watched as Sorey, apparently embarrassed, picked up the plate of pancakes and hurried out of the room. He met eyes with Lailah, who was smiling softly.

“He cares for you deeply,” she said, getting up off the bed and smoothing her dress out into place. “You're in good hands.” She turned to the door. “I should go and help. We'll be back soon, okay? Don't leave the bed for now; your injuries might be a lot less harsh, but they can worsen again if you move before my healing truly settles.”

Mikleo nodded in understanding, watching her leave with his chest warm from her caring, motherly attitude. He glanced back over at the bedside table, leaning over when he saw the notepad lying on it. His eyes scanned over the note, his heart only growing warmer as his smile grew further.

In good hands, indeed.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey and Lailah ate in the bedroom, Lailah perching on the chair, Sorey leaning against the headboard next to Mikleo. Luckily, the curry he made _hadn't_ burnt, Mikleo teasing that it was only because Lailah was there to help him.

Having her company felt completely natural, as it did with Sorey. Her warm voice brought a feeling of home, her smiles deeply caring. It made Mikleo feel guilty that he hadn't been able to remember her, considering that they'd clearly had a bond before he lost his memories. Still, the bond hadn't been completely broken from his amnesia. Their natural way of speaking to each other proved that even with no memories, some people were simply destined to get along.

It was nearing eleven when Lailah finally left to return to her church, having lost track of time from the three talking to each other. There were no more questions; Lailah had seemed to be too exhausted. They simply spoke about whatever came to mind, laughing together over silly things as though the three had known each other for years.

“I better head off to sleep before I regret it in the morning,” Sorey said once she was gone, stretching his arms above his head, letting out an appreciative sound. He smiled softly at Mikleo. “I know you might not be that tired after how long you slept, but see if you _can_ get any more sleep, okay? You haven't had that much and you still have recovering left to do.”

“How do you know I haven't?”

“Intuition,” Sorey replied simply, smile faltering slightly, “and you never seem to have much energy left by the end of the day.”

“I'm that transparent, huh?”

“Maybe.” He hovered by the door. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

“I will do.” Mikleo watched as Sorey opened the door, and as he did so, a sudden rush of desperation washed over him. “Sorey?”

“What is it?” Sorey questioned, turning back around immediately. Mikleo's words lodged in his throat once their eyes met, feeling ridiculous.

“I - Uh, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” The response came with his returned friendly smile, before Sorey switched off the light and closed the door after him, leaving Mikleo basked in darkness. He winced slightly as he brought his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on top of them.

“ _I can take you raising your hand at me, but I won't ever stand for you doing this to your nephew!”_

The arms around his legs gripped tighter, his form as vulnerable as he was when he was a terrified child.

Truth be told, he had wanted Sorey to stay. Being by his side made him feel safe, protected from the outside world which seemed to be utterly against him. Sitting in the darkness, alone with his thoughts, brought back the fear and loneliness which had disappeared with Sorey and Lailah's company.

Once the early hours of the morning closed in, his tiredness had returned, but he knew he wouldn't sleep. He was too fearful of what could plague his dreams, plus his mind was racing too wildly. Time ticked by painfully slowly as insomnia took its relentless hold, his eyes staring out of the window, feeling diminutive and lost under thousands of dying stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you like how I've made their life in this AU! I wanted to make some differences, like how much evil is needed, to reflect a more modern world and also my own beliefs.
> 
> The next chapter is the longest yet - about 7,700 words - and will have quite a lot of interaction between these three, before I start to bring in more characters later on. I hope you're looking forward to it!


	9. Rise of the Shepherd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mikleo heals, he learns more about his bond with Lailah before Sorey is led to his fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *says something about this being a long chapter despite the next one being a thousand words longer*
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

The following morning brought heavy rain and dark clouds, reflecting the mood of Mikleo throughout the night. He didn't remember sleeping at all; being unconscious for so long the previous day stopped him from being completely exhausted, but that slumber had only occurred because his body had needed it. Now it was protesting again, making him feel heavy, faint dark circles under his eyes.

But the rain brought him a sense of peace. It was confusing, really; whilst the gloominess and lack of sunshine it brought troubled him, the sound of the rain itself and the sight of raindrops falling against the window did the exact opposite.

There was a knock on his door at 7:00am. It was faint, as though Sorey was scared of waking him. That would have been impossible.

“Come in,” Mikleo called. The door opened, shedding a little more light into the room. Sorey poked his head around the door, grinning. It turns out he must have opened the door with his shoulder, for he held up two plates of pancakes in his hands.

“Because you were too busy sleeping for them yesterday,” he greeted. Mikleo let out a small chuckle, holding out his hand to take the plate off him.

“This is a nice change, what after me cooking for you so much over the last couple of weeks,” he said, cutting into the food with his knife, popping a bite of it into his mouth. The taste of syrup made his taste buds dance, an expression of bliss on his face. “I can get used to this.”

“See, I _can_ cook without burning it,” Sorey remarked, taking a bite of his own pancakes, which were slightly drenched in chocolate sauce.

Mikleo rolled his eyes. “It's just pancakes, Sorey. Don't get ahead of yourself.” He laughed at the pout he received for that remark.

“Would it kill you to praise me for this?” Sorey let out a slightly dramatic sigh. His amused expression faded when he inspected Mikleo's face properly. “You haven't slept at all, have you?”

He swallowed the food in his mouth, not grabbing another bite as his fork shifted it around the plate to avoid Sorey's eyes. “I didn't really need it, I guess. I was asleep for a while, after all.”

“Only because you passed out,” Sorey said softly, feeling guilty when Mikleo flinched slightly. “Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. I just got worried because you look tired.”

“I am, but I'll be fine.”

“Could you not get to sleep, or did you stay up?”

“The first one.”

“Were you thinking about everything we were talking about last night?”

“That's one of the things.” He stopped playing with his food, though he still couldn't quite meet Sorey's eyes. “I guess other things were bothering me, too.” He could feel Sorey's questioning gaze burning through him, waiting to see if Mikleo expanded on his words. It felt controlling, but not in a sense that Mikleo felt uncomfortable or forced. It was more convincing, like he was being encouraged to not bottle anything up. He let out a sigh, looking down at fiddling hands. “Like… I guess the dream I had really bothered me. I was too scared to sleep again because of that.”

“I'm sorry,” Sorey responded, the softness of his voice finally causing Mikleo to look up, his eyes widening a little when he saw genuine guilt expressed on Sorey's face. “I would have stayed with you longer. I should've known you would start thinking about that when you were alone.”

“Don't be silly,” Mikleo said, shaking his head. “Really, I don't need babysitting.”

“I didn't mean it like that. I just… Feel like I should have stayed with you until you were asleep.”

Mikleo wasn't too sure on how to respond to that for a moment, considering that's exactly what he had wanted to ask him to do but was too afraid to do so. “Well… You had to be up early, so I wouldn't expect you to stay up for me.” He glanced back down at his hands. “Honestly, that loneliness I felt was the worst thing of all from that dream. It kind of… Returned again, when I was trying to fall asleep.”

“Hey,” Sorey said gently. “I told you you're not alone any more, remember?”

“I know I'm not, it's just… Well, look at Lailah. We were clearly friends, even if I've not had the chance to question her properly about that yet. How many more people have I forgotten? When I think about how many people I've lost, I guess that's what makes me feel lonely. I know I have you now, it's just that...”

_'I'm worried that I'm only your friend because you've been thrown into this situation with me. I'm scared that you'll throw me out when I've become too much of a burden to bear.'_

“I understand completely, and I didn't take offence when you said that you feel lonely despite me being here,” Sorey said reassuringly. “Even if I don't want you to feel that way at all, it's completely understandable why you would be like that. Honestly, I think you're incredible for working so hard to learn more about where you are and to try and restore your memories. A lot of people would have given up hope in your situation. That's humans as well, people who can actually get professional help and advice for it. You… You're just fighting through it with determination.” The smile grew when Mikleo finally met his gaze again, his eyes a little tearful. “I think you don't give yourself enough credit for how strong you are.”

“I've never really thought about it that way. Thank you, really. I can't believe you're so positive about this despite how you've been thrown into the deep end with me.”

“Well, I wouldn't call it being thrown in, not if I'm destined to become the Shepherd and all. Fate has its hold on me, apparently.”

Mikleo hummed in agreement. That statement seemed to be a lot more literal than just merely a joke.

“I should better get going soon,” Sorey then said, sounding disappointed. “Lailah said she'd be back around in the morning, as neither of us want you to leave the bed yet. I've given her the passcode to get in.”

“I feel a lot better.”

“Don't be stubborn,” Sorey said firmly, scooping up both of their plates. “We need to let your body adjust. We don't want you to hurt yourself.”

“Fine, fine.”

“Don't worry, you can be back to being my housewife when we know you're okay to move again,” Sorey teased, laughing at the annoyed reddened face he received in return.

“I'll be throwing your food in your face for that.”

“Are you sure you can throw high enou - _Hey!_ ”

Mikleo had leaned forward, twisting his body to the side to throw out one of his wings in the direction of Sorey, causing him to stumble back. “I won't miss next time.”

“Harsh,” Sorey pouted, walking over to the door. His expression grew warmer when he placed a hand on its handle. “I hope you enjoy today with Lailah. Don't try to push yourself, okay?”

“I think she's become my mother,” Mikleo chuckled. “I'd have a hard time trying. Good luck with work.”

Sorey grinned, thanking him before he left the room. Mikleo sighed and leant back against his pillow. His mind only wandered back to his negative thoughts for just a moment before Sorey's words took over instead.

He truly had a way with them.

 

* * *

 

 

Lailah ended up turning up at Sorey's apartment not long after he had left. Too distracted with his thoughts and eyes not picking up the words of his book at all, Mikleo hadn't heard that she was here until he heard a knock at his door.

“Lailah?” he called. The door opened, the woman walking in with two cups of tea in her hands. She smiled, walking over to hand him one of the mugs.

“Good morning,” she said. “I added two sugars.”

“Thank you,” Mikleo answered, blowing on the liquid gently before he took a small sip. “How do you feel after healing me yesterday?”

“A little worn out, if I'm being honest,” she sighed. She scooped up the back of her dress as she sat down onto the chair. “I really am glad that I have found Sorey now. I'm not too sure how much longer I'd last here without a vessel.”

“You don't mean -”

“I wouldn't die straight away. But I feel as though I would start to lose the ability to function freely with any movement, not just magic.”

“Healing me wouldn't have thrown you a step back, would it?” Mikleo asked, his voice quiet. Lailah seemed hesitant, as though she could have said 'yes' but was avoiding it at all costs.

“Well- it has certainly taken a toll on me after I purified the hellions the other day, but I can assure you that I'll be fine! I'll just have to wait until tomorrow to make the pact with Sorey, that's all.”

Mikleo tried to feel ease from her kind voice to erase his guilt. “It _is_ best to wait until tomorrow. You'll get time to rest, I should be back on my feet and Sorey's work at the end of the week is usually ridiculously busy.” His thoughts drifted then, feeling worried over the possibility of Sorey coming across another hellion before he is able to purify them. He raised the mug to his lips, eyebrows furrowing slightly. “If he ends up getting himself hurt by a hellion because of him being reckless, I'll heal him before killing him myself.”

Lailah giggled softly, completely seeing the deeper care and concern Mikleo had behind his words. “You really do love Sorey, don't you Mikleo?”

Tea spurted out from his mouth, leaving him coughing and spluttering with the back of his hand over his mouth, face turning red. “Wh-What? No! I'm just worried, that's all!”

“I didn't mean romantically,” she laughed. “Love comes in all forms, not just romantic. Though there's also nothing wrong with -”

“Okay, I get it.”

“For a water guardian, you sure have always gotten flustered easily. It's a nice contrast to how you're usually calm and collected.”

“Great. First I have Sorey there to tease me, now there's you as well. What's next on the list for me?”

“I'm not teasing,” she responded innocently. “I'm simply stating the truth. Perhaps it's a compliment, actually. It means your personality is more interesting.”

“Of course.”

Before long, once the food and drink Mikleo had consumed seemed to regain him a little energy, the two began to discuss more serious matters.

Mikleo was given the information Sorey had partly heard the previous day – that Heaven was similar to Earth, split into different places of residence. Lailah said she had never been to Elysia, but described it from what she had heard; a place high up in the hills, surrounded by endless stretches of bright skies, mountains reaching towards them. It was one of the most peaceful, beautiful parts of Heaven, even being surrounded by forestry, giving it the feel that it wasn't Heaven at all. Despite Lailah saying that he didn't spend much time in Heaven, Mikleo still felt a longing to be in Elysia. He could faintly hear the running of water, smell the flowery scent of plants around him. All he had to do was think of its name, and somewhere in his distant mind, his senses tried to describe the place to him.

He eventually asked how long he had been an angel. Lailah suddenly seemed uncomfortable at that question, hands stroking down strands of her long hair.

“I… I'd rather not say.” She looked guilty. “I feel like it's something that isn't my place to speak about. But in terms of how long an angel stays alive… It wasn't very long ago at all.”

“I see.”

Those words should have probably upset him, but it gave him one thought – presuming that his mother was still alive once he died, there was a higher chance for her to be alive now. The thought of seeing the woman he now could picture the appearance of perfectly despite not knowing her name… She could very well be in arm's reach.

Only his heart sank a little when he remembered that she wouldn't have been able to see him regardless. The fact that his emotions just didn't want to settle on positive or negative was bringing chaos to his mind.

Luckily, Lailah was the kind of individual who could easily tell if something was wrong. Her motherly instincts seemed to kick in and she quickly dropped the subject about Mikleo, instead discussing literature and Ladylake with him as they read through the books Sorey kept in his room. Her company made him feel safe, which was unsurprising due to both her nature and how she had saved him and Sorey.

Hours passed, and despite his tiredness, Mikleo was itching to get out of bed. Lailah could easily see his agitation and by later in the afternoon, suggested to him that it was time to get his body moving again.

“I'd rather you be careful doing so,” she said. “But I don't think it would do you any good to remain still.”

She stayed close as Mikleo swung his legs over the side of the bed slowly, bare feet touching the floor lightly. The muscles in his legs were stiff and painful, causing him to wince once he rose, but he knew he'd feel relieved once he had eased the stiffness. He stretched out his arms, catching Lailah's eye as he did so.

“What is it?” he asked when he noticed her smile.

“I'm just glad to see you back on your feet,” she answered. “Would you like me to help you wash your injuries?”

He considered the aching of his muscles and joints, nodding his head. “Yeah, I'd rather not strain myself.”

On legs which were still a little weak, he followed Lailah out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. He pushed the toilet cover down, jumping slightly at its coldness as he watched Lailah dampen a flannel in the sink, eyes focusing slightly as she waited for the perfect temperature.

She unwrapped the bandages around his legs first, dabbing at the healing wounds with delicate care. Even the feminine hand holding up his leg had a gentleness to it that filled him with warmth.

Her motherly touch brought brief, faded images of his own mother to mind; putting a plaster over a graze on his knee from when he fell, rubbing a cold flannel over a forehead burning from fever, rubbing his back gently as she kissed on a bruise on his wrist inflicted from his uncle's heavy, uncaring grip.

Lailah's gentle expression was so beautifully similar to the one on the face he had no name to. Perhaps that's why he had become comfortable in her presence so quickly.

“Lailah?”

“Yes?” Lailah responded, lifting her head. She was now raised on her knees, about to pay attention to the side of his waist.

“Were we close? Before I lost my memories, I mean.”

She smiled sadly, eyes expressing a feeling of loss. “Yes, we were very close.” Her gaze dropped to his side, unwrapping the bandage. “I was your mentor. Even though you had moved to Pendrago, I still felt that it was important to protect you. So when I heard that you had passed away suddenly and had become an angel, I wished to see you immediately. Most were surprised when one of the higher-ups, Zenrus, wanted you to become a guardian angel so soon. But I wasn't.”

She met Mikleo's gaze again when she moved onto his left arm, her smile now warmer with pride. “I knew that you had the perfect personality to be a guardian. Some people seem like they could belong to more than one element, but you… Water was the only way. Which, of course, isn't a bad thing. It only means that you would specialise in it greatly.

“So when you returned back to Earth, you stayed with me in Ladylake in order to be taught the ways of a guardian angel. Being back in Ladylake wasn't just part of your duty, it was also something you desired. You missed it so much, though you weren't sure exactly why.” Her expression had saddened again and Mikleo could have sworn he saw guilt in her eyes, though she soon turned brighter. “So yes, we're very close. Technically, our relationship is mentor and student, but … I see us as family. I am not the only one who sees you as such.”

A mixture of happiness and a longing to remember this relationship grew. “I think… I think I do remember you slightly. I recognised your name, and… Well, your voice seems familiar, too. If I remember anything else away from my mother soon, I can imagine it will be my life with you.”

Her eyes lit up at that, her expression one of gratitude. “That would be more than I could ever wish for, to hold such a dear place in your heart.”

Now finished with his wounds, she gathered the bandages and placed them in a bin before she rinsed out the cloth.

“Will I meet the rest of the angels I was close to?”

“I hope so,” she said, seeming guilty that she couldn't promise it. “Our communications are breached at the moment, and I have no idea where they currently are. I can only hope that Sorey becoming the Shepherd would help reunite us all.”

Mikleo nodded, grateful that she didn't sugar-coat the situation by giving him false hope and promises. He hummed in thought, getting back to his feet. “Speaking of Sorey, he should be home soon.”

“Don't tell me that you're planning on cooking for him after you just got out of bed _minutes_ ago?” she questioned, giggling softly. Mikleo folded his arms irritably.

“I didn't say I'm doing it for _his_ sake,” he huffed. “Cooking calms me. I've missed it whilst I've been in bed.”

“Of course, of course,” she sang, letting out another giggle when Mikleo sighed and walked out of the bathroom without another word, wings spreading out for a moment behind him to stretch them. Her own wings folded against her back so she could pass through the doorway, waiting for Mikleo on a stool in the kitchen as he went back to the bedroom to change his outfit. He'd rather not walk around topless with just shorts on, not unless he wanted to freeze. The warmth of spring seemed to have temporarily vanished with the rain.

He threw on a white T-shirt and, realising that he'd just have to change later anyway, pulled on a pair of black sweatpants, which were so baggy and loose that they were still not fitting him completely even after tightening the drawstrings.

Lailah raised an eyebrow at his apparel when he joined her in the kitchen. “Are those Sorey's?”

“Yes,” he replied simply as he started to rummage through the fridge. “He bought me some clothes, but none of it is really lounge or sleepwear, so I've just been stealing them from him.”

“Did you ask first?”

“No.”

“Does he mind?”

“No.”

She smiled, amused. “That's probably because he finds it cute.”

“He just understood that I couldn't sleep in jeans or something,” Mikleo sighed, glad he was facing the contents of the fridge so she didn't see how much he smiled at that comment. He straightened up, humming in thought with a hand placed on his chin. “Sorey's going to need something with a lot of energy after a long shift,” he pondered aloud. “And you'll be wanting energy, too… I'll make us some fish. I think there's pollack fillets in the fridge.”

“It's been so long since I've had your cooking,” Lailah sighed dreamily, resting her elbows onto the island in front of her so she could place her head in her hands. “You're such a wonderful cook.”

“What was the last thing I made for you?” Mikleo asked, preheating the oven before he began to prepare breadcrumbs for the fillets.

“Mabo curry buns.” There was another dreamy sigh. “My favourite.”

“Sorry I'm not making that for you tonight,” he laughed. “I'm only really up to making something simple.”

“No no, I am always up for anything you make!” She watched his back as he coated the fillets in egg yolk, a fond smile on her face. She was glad that even with his memories gone, he still had his passion for cooking. Despite her teasing over Sorey before, she knew that cooking _did_ relax him. Of course, it was obvious that his like for it wasn't the only thing which was causing him to have this ready by the time Sorey came home, but with how much chaos was in his life, it was the small things like this which mattered.

Seeing his old personality shine through gave her hope that her beloved student would get through this stronger than ever.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey burst into the kitchen as soon as he slipped off his shoes, seeming like he was full of energy despite a long shift. Apparently, the scent of food obviously meant Mikleo. His eyes fell on him, lighting up brightly.

“Mikleo!” he called out happily, making the poor boy jump and almost drop the two plates in his hands. “You're on your feet!”

“Barely, after you yelled like that,” Mikleo scowled, but he felt a little warm from the reaction. He settled the two plates onto the kitchen island, gesturing to them with his hand. “I made us fish and chips, because you can't even make that yourself.”

“Did you bread it yourself?” Sorey asked as he slid onto the middle stool by Lailah. “It looks great!”

“It's not difficult,” Mikleo responded, picking up his own plate, glad that turning his back at least hid the warmth in his face from Sorey's excitable praise. “I don't even understand how you can be so awake after a long day,” he added, settling himself down next to Sorey.

“Ah, I'm pretty tired, actually. I just smelt the food and knew it was you, so I got excited! How are you feeling?”

Mikleo held a hand over his mouth as he swallowed. “A lot better than I would have thought I'd be, that's for sure. I'm still aching a lot and I'll have to be careful, but Lailah's healing did wonders.”

“Oh, you flatter me,” she smiled, taking a sip of water. “It _is_ lovely to see you up and about, though. Doesn't he look adorable in your clothes, Sorey?” She ignored Mikleo choking on his food.

“He does! He wears them for bed.”

“Lailah,” Mikleo said lowly, peering down the island at her with a glare. “You already know why I wear them, so why did you have to mention it _again?”_

“I knew that Sorey complimenting you would embarrass you, which in my eyes, is just as cute,” she said bluntly, smiling sweetly. Mikleo rolled his eyes, straightening back up.

“Whatever.”

“This is _so_ good, Mikleo!” Sorey exclaimed. “It's just what I needed after today.”

“You didn't come across any hellions, did you?” Lailah asked before Mikleo had the chance.

“Luckily not, it was just really busy and such, plus there was a car accident because of the rain.”

“It's eased off now, at least,” Mikleo commented, glancing out of the window at the sky, the orange sunset reaching night. “Was anyone seriously hurt?”

“No, thankfully not as my friend Mason was in there.”

“Ah, Mason,” Lailah said sadly. “That's no surprise.”

“He's the priest, right?” Mikleo questioned. “Why isn't it a surprise?”

“He will pass soon.” Her voice shook slightly. “We can usually tell when someone has that flag above their head. Sometimes, we can tell years before it happens, but other times, it can be merely days or weeks. Whether its illness, an accident… It will happen.”

“That's horrible,” Sorey responded, eyebrows furrowing. “I've known Mason for a long time. It'll be sad to see him go.”

“It _is_ sad, but remember that death isn't the end. He's bound to turn out to be a marvellous angel.”

Silence fell after that, the mood a little tense as they thought about the man, but it began to clear once they had finished and Sorey hummed appreciatively, stretching out his arms. “Man, that was great! Thanks, Mikleo!” A hand ruffled in his light hair, a smiling face turning into a scowl.

“You're not allowed to do that,” he huffed, but the smile soon returned. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

“I did too. It was lovely to eat your cooking again.” She then raised up with elegance from her seat, bowing her head for a moment. “I should go prepare myself for tomorrow. Will you both meet me at the church in the afternoon? Preferably after it closes to the general public at 5:00.”

“Sure thing! Rest up well.”

“And the same to both of you,” she smiled. They walked her to the door, waving to her as she left.

“I better go put the -”

“No need!” Sorey interrupted. “I'll do it!”

Without another word, he walked over to the kitchen, Mikleo smiling and following. Sorey was humming under his breath as he picked up the plates and cutlery from the island, placing them into the dishwasher.

“Did you learn anything from Lailah today?” he questioned once he was standing up again, a curious gaze on Mikleo, who nodded.

“She told me what she had told you about Heaven, and then about our relationship.” He folded his arms, leaning against the doorframe. “Apparently, we were really close. She was my mentor, teaching me the ways of a guardian angel and everything.”

“That's why she acts so familiar with you.”

“I feel guilty for not remembering that, even though it's nothing that can be helped.” He was silent for a moment, contemplating his next words. “Sorey?”

“Yeah?”

“You're fine with this going on, right? The whole Shepherd thing tomorrow, I mean. It seems like such a huge role, and I don't want you to throw yourself into it.”

“It _is_ a big deal,” Sorey admitted, but then he grinned. “But I've always liked living on the edge. I actually think I needed this excitement in my life. Besides, I don't want to leave your side just yet.”

“Glad you're fine with me sticking around,” Mikleo responded, only half-joking.

“Of course! I mean, there's one reason I can think of right this second that basically screams that I want you here.”

“Oh? What's that?”

“Lailah was absolutely right. You're adorable in those!”

Mikleo blinked, having not expected that response. He could feel his cheeks burning up quickly, cursing whoever decided that putting pale skin _and_ easily blushing cheeks together was a good thing. “Come on, I was expecting something serious!”

“I _am_ being seri- hang on, where are you going?”

“To brush my teeth. I'm glad to know that my looks are the only reason to keep me around, by the way.”

“I never said it was!” Sorey whined after a shut door. The smirk on his face grew to a softer smile. “Far from it,” he added to himself, not quite quiet enough for Mikleo to not pick it up on the other side of the door. He smiled before putting the spare toothbrush into his mouth, the words replaying over in his mind.

He spat out into the sink, words being spoken in his mind before he could stop them. _'Do you_ want _me to have feelings for you, idiot?'_

He seemed to choke on nothing, coughing as he placed the toothbrush by the sink, shaking his head despite how no one could see him and definitely not be able to hear his thoughts. He splashed cold water on his face to try and regain _some_ composure. He definitely didn't like just how naturally those words came to his mind.

Perhaps it was just how Sorey was the very first person he met after the loss of his memories. That ought to have made Mikleo feel differently about him.

Now feeling slightly calmer after convincing himself of this, he exited the bathroom, brushing his fringe off his face and breathing out.

“Are you okay?” Mikleo's gaze focused on Sorey, who looked a little concerned. He pressed his hand against the back of Mikleo's forehead. “You're pretty warm.”

“I'm fine,” he responded, holding in a sigh of relief when Sorey's hand was removed. “I guess I've just been on my feet too long.”

“You _do_ look exhausted now,” Sorey said softly, inspecting Mikleo's tired eyes. “Why don't you go to bed?”

Mikleo let out a yawn, emphasising Sorey's words. He was suddenly glad he didn't have to change into anything. “Yeah, I think I will.”

Sorey lingered at Mikleo's doorway as he walked over to the bed. “If there's anything on your mind, you know you can tell me, right?”

_'Just let me forget it already.'_

“I know, thank you,” Mikleo said, not being able to meet Sorey's gaze. He slid under the duvet, resting on his side, yawning again.

“Sleep well.”

Though as the door closed, the light cast inside the room fading, Mikleo was filled with the same desperation as the night before.

“Wait,” he said, his voice so quiet that he doubted Sorey would be able to hear him. But he did, light shining into the room again.

“What is it?”

Mikleo didn't raise his head when he felt Sorey's eyes on him. He curled up slightly more, hand gripping at his pillow as he urged himself to say the words he couldn't last night.

“Can you stay here until I fall asleep?” He felt embarrassed, but it felt like a weight had been lifted from simply saying the words which had been wanting to burst out from him. “I just… I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep for hours if I'm alone. I'm still scared of having another nightmare about him.”

How pathetic he felt over that confession. How on Earth hadn't Sorey gotten tired of him by now?

But despite Mikleo's insecurities, there were quiet footsteps as Sorey walked back into the room, choosing to settle himself on the edge of the bed as opposed to on the chair.

“I'll stay as long as that takes,” he smiled. Mikleo couldn't see that smile, not wanting to turn around to look at him, but he could hear it in Sorey's voice.

“Thank you,” he whispered back, finally feeling comfortable enough to close his eyes. Tense shoulders relaxed when a gentle fingertip pressed lightly on his spine in between his wings, rubbing in circular motions. Soft, warm, welcoming, but somehow brought fear, too, from just how comfortable it made him feel.

Merely minutes later, Sorey could hear that Mikleo's breathing was slower and heavier. He didn't want to leave just yet, however, worried that Mikleo would fall into a nightmare. He didn't remove his hand, either; the comforting motion made him strangely feel like he had the power to protect, even if it was barely anything.

Another ten minutes passed, and by then, Sorey was more confident that Mikleo would be fine. He peered over at his face to make sure, breathing out when he saw that Mikleo was actually smiling in his sleep, a stark contrast to the other night.

He left the room quietly, feeling a little disappointed about doing so.

 

* * *

 

 

_An item wrapped in a white laced cloth was passed into small hands, the recipient staring up at his mother with curious eyes._

“ _What's this?” he asked, gaze averting to the cloth. His mother smiled, crouching down in front of him to brush strands of brown hair out of his eyes._

“ _A welcome present,” she replied. “I know how hard it was for you to move to Pendrago with me, so I thought I would give you something. Go on, open it.”_

_Unsure of how fragile the gift would be, he started to unwrap the cover, eyes widening at a golden circlet which lay inside._

“ _This is really pretty,” he breathed out in awe, though he looked a little confused. “What is it?”_

“ _It's a circlet,” his mother replied, lifting the circlet up from the cloth. “You wear it on your head. Brush your fringe back a moment.”_

_He nodded, placing down the cloth so he could push his fringe back away from his forehead. She slowly lowered it down onto his forehead, fastening it in place either side. She chuckled lightly when Mikleo let go of the fringe and some of the strands automatically fell back on his forehead, though they shifted to the side enough to reveal the green stone in the circlet's centre._

“ _You look beautiful,” she smiled warmly, fetching a small pocket mirror from her pocket. She flipped it open, holding it out to him. “Have a look.”_

_He blinked at his reflection, apparently a little unsure of what to think. His fingers hovered across the circlet, barely touching it._

“ _I look like a princess or something,” he commented._

“ _I've always told you that boys can be princesses and girls can be princes, if they like.”_

_Mikleo seemed happy by this answer, melting his mother's heart when he beamed at his reflection. “I really like it! But...” He looked back at his mother, looking guilty. “If we're low on money, how did you buy this?”_

“ _I didn't buy it,” she informed him reassuringly. “You see Mikleo, this circlet has been in my family for generations. It has a little story behind it, too.” Mikleo sat up a little straighter, eyes paying full attention. “It was believed that this circlet was actually a gift to us from Heaven. If someone dies whilst wearing it, whilst the original form remains on Earth, the angel which the human becomes would still be wearing it. If they were ever to return to Earth_ _whilst wearing it,_ _then the circlet would remain. So there may just be more_ _than one_ _in the world somewhere.”_

“ _Do you believe that story?”_

“ _I'm uncertain,” she answered, always truthful to her intelligent son. “It is only a myth, after all. But… I like to live my life with belief in things which seem impossible. So this may just be true.”_

“ _Are you sure you want me to have it if it's this important?”_

“ _You mean more to me than anything else,” she said, causing him to giggle softly when she kissed the tip of his nose, “so there is no one else who deserves it more than you do.”_

In the present, Mikleo's fingers brushed against his forehead with a smile yet another time that day. Sorey had seemed to noticed something had lifted his spirits, but when he asked why, Mikleo only said he dreamt of his mother again, this time in a much nicer way. He didn't expand, but Sorey didn't pry in return; after all, his intuition was in fact correct when he guessed that Mikleo simply wanted to keep a certain memory to himself.

They left Sorey's apartment at 5:00pm, ready to meet Lailah at the church. Whilst he was excited and intrigued by what was to come, Mikleo's posture was calm and composed. Sorey was the opposite, leg bouncing as he drove, unable to wipe the grin away from his face.

“If it's a Sacred Blade,” he started, “do you think that it means I'll be getting a really cool sword? Now _that_ would be something awesome to take patrolling.”

“I'm pretty sure you shouldn't patrol the streets with a centuries old sword in your hand,” Mikleo chuckled. “Do you even know _how_ to use a sword?”

“Sort of? I mean, I've been fencing before, so...”

“It looks like Lailah will have to give you some training.”

“ _Or_ I'll be a complete natural and purify 20 hellions at once. Have faith in me! You were supposed to be training as a guardian angel, weren't you?”

“Not necessarily yours.”

“Nah, you're mine,” he grinned. “You'll probably stop me from stabbing my own eye out or something.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes, putting a hand over his mouth to hide his grin as he looked out of the window. They pulled up in the car park a couple of minutes later. By now, it was empty. They got out of the car, Sorey practically bouncing on the spot.

“Sacred Blade, here I come!”

“You _are_ thinking about other things than potentially getting a sword, right?”

“But of course! I just think I'm going to look great.”

“Wow.” Mikleo rolled his eyes again. “What an ego.”

Sorey only put his fingers up into a peace sign before he jogged over to the doors of the church. For a moment, Mikleo thought that they might have actually been locked, but they swung open.

“Maybe they need better security here,” Sorey commented.

“I'm guessing Lailah just unlocked them for us,” Mikleo responded. His voice now had a degree of relaxation in it, feeling at peace with the holy building. Both of their eyes fell on Lailah, who was in the process of lighting a candle. Neither spoke out to disturb her, but she turned to face them anyway, a welcoming smile on her face.

“Thank you for coming,” she greeted, placing the candle down onto one of the shelves.

“For Mason?” Sorey asked softly. She nodded, the same sadness from yesterday in her eyes.

“I usually don't become very effected from death at all, considering it's a natural process I've become accustomed to. But...” She let out a sigh. “Mason has been an incredible priest here, and there's been many times where he's sensed my presence and called out to me.” She shook her head, erasing the negative emotion from her face. “Come on, it's this way. It used to be out by the alter, but it was moved centuries ago as people's beliefs faded.”

She led them over to the back door leading to the graveyard. Mikleo visibly tensed as soon as they stepped outside, the hairs on his arms standing up on end, images of what had happened just days prior flashing in his mind. Sorey put a comforting arm around his shoulder, the tension visibly easing a little from the touch.

“You okay?” he murmured. Mikleo nodded, despite the fact that the lingering pain from his injuries suddenly seemed to flare up from his mental state.

“So where are we going?” Mikleo asked, drawing attention away from his discomfort.

“Just round here,” Lailah answered, leading them around the corner to the side of the church. It seemed empty; there was definitely no Sacred Blade there, or any indication that it was nearby. Lailah noticed their confusion, letting out a gentle laugh. “Of course, the entrance cannot just be seen from the untrained eye.”

“Those up there,” Sorey suddenly said, pointing up at the brick wall. Hanging there were two unlit lanterns, hardly noticeable at all.

“Oh, yeah,” Mikleo added. “They look suspicious.”

“You're both naturals,” she smiled, waving a hand to conjure flames inside them. The flames danced silently for a moment, before the ground beneath them began to rumble, indicating a small earthquake. They watched in astonishment as the bricks in the wall turned, revealing a narrow entrance. Lailah, apparently completely accustomed to the situation, spoke normally. “We had to move the Blade somewhere secret, away from prying eyes.”

“I feel like there's going to be ghosts down there,” Mikleo commented.

“There very well could be,” Lailah responded, laughing at the expression she received. “Follow me.”

Both she and Sorey had to duck their heads slightly as they passed through the doorway, making Mikleo, for the first time, feel relieved over his height. Darkness shrouded them when the bricks returned to their place upon their entering, but Lailah soon conjured a flame in her hand, illuminating the dark passage.

“Watch your feet; they're a little steep,” she warned as she began to walk down the staircase, the clicking of her high heels against stone echoing. Sorey and Mikleo followed close behind, watching their feet carefully under the dim light of her flame. After a moment, Sorey took note of Mikleo's heavy breathing.

“You didn't have to come with you still healing.”

“And miss you becoming the Shepherd? Come on, give me a break.”

Sorey's eyes brightened from those words, pausing on the steps for a moment to hold out a fist to Mikleo. There was only a moment of hesitation before Mikleo pressed his wrist against Sorey, their hands crossing. Both grinning, they lowered their hands before the three continued to descend.

Smiling at their interaction, Lailah turned her body slightly to bring the flame closer to them, before finally, they were no longer descending down the steps. She reached her hand out in front of her, allowing the flame to jump from her palm and light four torches in the room, positioned against the middle of each wall.

Their bright blaze illuminated the room more than both Sorey and Mikleo would expect. Their eyes widened; it wasn't a particularly large room, but the pillars in the corners were impressive. They weren't quite as much so as the centre of the room, however; laid in the middle was a platform risen off the floor, an incredible blade with an intricate handle placed inside it.

“As you can imagine, this is the Sacred Blade,” Lailah informed, standing in front of Sorey. “As the legend has always said, only Heaven's Hero can pull it out – also known as the Shepherd. If you _are_ indeed the Shepherd, then you should have no problem at all.” Her voice dropped a little lower. “Please remember, Sorey, that even though your current life won't be thrown away, it is still a large burden being a Shepherd. Assisting us in maintaining the balance can be harder than you think. It's not easy, and there are times when you will struggle. As your sword, I will always be here as your guide, but a lot of this responsibility will fall down on your own shoulders.”

“I've already come to accept that,” Sorey responded. “Don't worry, Lailah. I'm willing to take the responsibility.”

“Even after such a short time about knowing of this duty?”

“I've always wanted a bigger calling. This barely feels new to me at all.”

Lailah nodded, satisfied with his answers. “I just had to make sure before you had no return from this.” She smiled softly, resting her hands on her chest. “I've waited longer than I hoped for a pure, uncorrupted person to become my vessel. Even if you are more than happy to do this and decided on doing so for not my sake in particular, I still feel utterly grateful.”

“I have several reasons for doing this, but to help you by being your vessel is one of them. I want you to live as strongly as you can, Lailah.” He returned her smile, before turning to Mikleo. “Don't laugh at me if this doesn't work. I know what you're like.”

“I won't, I won't. But I'm highly doubtful that it will do that. As long as you're sure about this, then there's no way that this is going to fail.”

Feeling encouraged by those words, Sorey beamed at him before Lailah took his hand, closing his eyes as he felt warmth radiate through him and light cast over their heads. He gasped, unsure of whether it was pain or simply from the foreign sensation. She smiled at him encouragingly, watching as he took several strides forward towards the sword. He rested one hand on its handle, already feeling power radiating from it. Another hand settled on top of it, and after inhaling deeply, he pulled.

There was only a slight worry that it wouldn't slip out with ease. That worry vanished quickly when the blade touched the air, a supernatural light forming around them both. He turned to Lailah and Mikleo as it began to fade, his grin wider than ever.

“So I guess I'm the Shepherd then,” he announced, swinging the sword to the side.

“Don't _play_ with it! It's an ancient weapon, idiot,” Mikleo exclaimed, but he had a large smile on his face. His voice was softer when he spoke. “It could have only been you.”

“This has seemed to bring a new lease of life in me,” Lailah said. Her words could be seen in her physical appearance; though she had always been radiant, this only seemed to burn brighter. “Now you share both my power and burden, it is also time you learnt of my True Name to seal our pact properly. It is Fethmus Mioma.”

“Would you rather me call you that?” Sorey asked, receiving a quick shaking of her head in reply.

“No no, Lailah is more than fine!”

“Is Mikleo _my_ real name then?” Mikleo asked, suddenly seeming slightly panicked.

“Yes - mostly - oh, is that a butterfly?”

“Is that another thing she can't talk about?” Sorey questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“I _can_ speak about it, for it wouldn't go against my oath, but … again, it is not my place, and I must draw lines. But really, everyone has always called you Mikleo,” Lailah expanded. “But, we cannot make a pact between Prime and Sub lord until you know your True Name.”

Mikleo was slightly frustrated over her hiding the information, but at the same time, he knew Lailah wouldn't hide anything without a reason. He didn't know why, but for a moment, Sorey seemed relieved over those words. The thought about this vanished when Sorey turned to him, smiling.

“Are you impressed yet?” he asked, grinning.

“Maybe a little.”

A little was an understatement. Whist Sorey might have always shown that he had a high resonance, he had only discovered for certain that angels were real just over two weeks ago. In that time, he had become so accepting of a new, unexpected turn in his life that he had accepted this fate with no hint of doubt at all.

This acceptance, never mind Sorey's positive attitude and lack of worry for himself, was impressive all on its own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm certain this doesn't need an explanation, but just to make sure, I've slightly lessened the burden of the Shepherd due to how unlike in the game where it's just like 'Malevolence, bad. Very bad', malevolence is actually needed in the modern world, as explained in the last chapter with the whole 'good can't exist without evil' thing.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading!


	10. To be Unseen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'She could very well be in arm's reach.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a long chapter for you all! My health's pretty bad after a long day, so hopefully there's not too many mistakes after my last proof read before posting.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Whilst there may have been doubts and concerns buried deep down, it was incredible how easily adapted Sorey became with his new fate.

Lailah was simply a guide, telling him her knowledge and simply the key basics of wielding a sword. She wasn't there to hold him up or to do his duties for him. She merely watched with a careful gaze on the sidelines with Mikleo, her eyes filling with pride as they watched him wield the flames of purification to deal with lesser hellions, which had taken their home inside the small amounts of forestry in Ladylake.

Sometimes, Mikleo's words to Lailah would stop entirely, his eyes fixated on Sorey as though he was in a trance. It wasn't just because of Sorey's attractiveness, though he was beginning to admit just how large the height of that attractiveness was. It was also simply because of how Sorey moved so naturally. It was as though he had done this for years. Perhaps he was able to due to this being his fate, the stars granting him the ability to move smoothly in order for him to fulfil his duties.

Whilst Mikleo still had just as much faith as Lailah, he was concerned at first. He was worried that giving Sorey such little guidance, choosing to let him develop his skills mostly alone, would lead him to be overwhelmed, or even get hurt by one of the hellions.

“Is it safe to be doing this?” he had asked her as their eyes followed the slashes of the Sacred Blade. “What if a larger one comes along?”

“Now Sorey has made a pact with me, he can also sense malevolence, remember?” she questioned. Mikleo nodded – of _course_ he remembered. As soon as they had left the church, Sorey had clutched his chest, unfamiliar with the compression that Lailah and Mikleo were accustomed to. By now, he was a little more accustomed to it himself, though he still noticed it more and wasn't able to handle larger amounts very well. Luckily, these amounts still mostly only existed down-town as opposed to across the whole city. “If a large hellion is near, he will sense it alongside both of us. That is when I'll step in if I need to.”

“I wish I would be able to as well.”

“Eventually, you will,” she reassured him, smiling. “I just want to make sure you are healed more first. After all, we don't want to put you in any danger, either. Though remember that you can mostly just help fend off the hellions for now, as your power cannot purify. It will be able to do so once you are my Sub Lord.” She looked back at Sorey, who after purifying the last small hellion, looked at them both with a wide grin, wiping a line of sweat off his forehead. “Of course, if Sorey is willing for that pact to be made.”

A little disappointment – or it could even be called irritation – filled Mikleo from those words. He knew full well that Sorey seemed concerned over that possible pact between them. He just hadn't expressed it aloud yet and usually avoided the subject.

The thought of this soon eased from Mikleo's mind, however, when Lailah permitted him to start wielding a weapon a week following her and Sorey's pact. Though it had only been nine days since he was attacked, it had felt like an eternity since he had felt useful. He seemed to have forgotten the time a hellion had injured Sorey's leg during his training and Mikleo had healed it in an instant, despite Lailah holding more magic to do so. Lailah, who had seen just how impressed Sorey was over Mikleo's healing magic, felt sadness over how Mikleo didn't see the strength he had himself, though hoped that being able to wield a weapon again would finally bring him a realisation of the truth.

“It is a little complicated on the weapon you should be using,” Lailah stated as the three of them stood inside the church. “You see, despite the fact that you wield water, you were given a staff. Staffs are weapons we usually give to earth guardians, not water.”

“Why was I given a staff instead?” Mikleo questioned. Lailah hummed, tapping a finger on her lip.

“I'm not completely certain, if I'm honest,” she said. “I think they may have just saw a unique potential in you and requested for me to make something to develop that potential. Perhaps you also required a long weapon so you could reach the taller people training with you.”

Sorey burst out laughing at the pout on Mikleo's face, the annoyance expressed there priceless. “It's fate, Mikleo. It was truly given to you because they knew that one day, you'd train with me, someone who is inches taller than yo- _hey,_ what was that for?!”

Mikleo, without looking at Sorey, had splashed cold water in his face, which was now quickly being wiped with a sleeve. Mikleo ignored a mumbled apology, concentrating on Lailah. “So do you think it's best for me to start again with a weapon meant for water guardians, or use a staff again?”

“I considered the first option, but now I think it is definitely best for you to remain with a staff,” Lailah answered. “I think natural instincts will return to you if you wield it. So...” She walked over behind the alter, picking up a large weapon in her hands. “I've been fusing this together during our time apart. I did my best to make it look like the one you had lost.”

They both walked towards each other, closing the distance quickly. Mikleo didn't take the staff at first, instead gliding his fingers across the long, brown handle. His eyes scanned over each end, decorated with blue and yellow, much similar to the outfit he had been wearing when he came to this world. There was a sense of home in its appearance, both Lailah and Sorey noticing it in his expression.

“Do you recognise it?” Sorey asked, a smile growing when Mikleo nodded. He reached for the staff with both hands, unsure of its weight. It turned out that it weighed a lot lighter than he thought, easy to hold in one hand. He looked up; it was approximately 5cm larger than he was.

“How does it feel?” Lailah asked. She received a grin in reply.

“Like I've finally got back something I was missing,” he said. He held it out in front of him, concentrating, and gasped when a strong jet of water shot from the end, splashing against the wall with a louder noise he would expect.

“That's much stronger than the water you can wield with your hand, isn't it?” Lailah questioned, smiling. “I'll also be able to gather the names of water artes for you and how to use them, so you can become even more powerful.”

“This is _so_ cool!” Sorey exclaimed, practically bouncing on the spot. “Seriously Mikleo, this is awesome!”

“It _does_ feel pretty cool,” Mikleo responded, trying to keep the excitement in his voice low, but it could still be captured easily in his expression.

“Just in case, however,” Lailah continued. “An arte you can use to heal is 'Resilient Aid', which also raises defences. It's important in case you need to heal one of us.”

“I take it that I can't heal myself?”

“Unfortunately not,” Lailah sighed. “You see, our magic is not supposed to be used for personal gain. We wield our power purposely for others, and so can only heal them. Luckily, we can still heal other angels, so we can help each other if needed.”

“In short,” Sorey began, lopping his arm around Mikleo's shoulders, grinning widely. “You're more important than you think.”

Mikleo only smiled. He didn't quite have enough confidence yet to say it aloud, but perhaps he was starting to realise that.

 

* * *

 

 

It turned out that wielding a staff _was_ a natural reaction for him, much like Sorey, only Mikleo was able to realise how much he had used this weapon in the past. It seemed to bring flashes to his mind; nothing more than merely the odd image of defending himself against an angel he was training with, or the odd shout of encouragement, sounding faded in the distance. But it was still something, and even whilst a lot of his memories were still utterly lost, this small fragments which seemed to be trying to fix themselves back together brought a lot more hope than he initially had after his awakening.

Much similar to how Mikleo's eyes had watched Sorey's training, Sorey found himself staring at Mikleo in awe, too. He moved with a grace that Sorey thought would have been impossible, even for an angel. He always fell lightly on his feet, landing on the balls of them as his wings steadied his balance, barely making any sound at all. Sometimes, it was like he was merely floating, though his feet were typically always on the ground. It added to the beauty of the water he wielded, his composure forever calm.

That beauty seemed to make Sorey's heart skip a beat, and he was slowly beginning to realise just how much Mikleo caused that to happen.

“You're truly a natural at this,” he had stated during Mikleo's second night of training, eyes shining brightly. “Really, I'm so impressed!”

“As am I,” Lailah contributed. She was looking up at them, somehow managing to perch on a tree stump with grace, one long leg crossed over the other. “You're doing incredibly well.”

“It's nothing to be impressed about,” Mikleo responded, though he was unable to stop his smile from the praise. He covered it with the back of his hand, coughing slightly. “I mean, I've wielded this before. _You're_ the one who is purifying hellions as though you do it in your sleep every night.”

“But still! Besides, I think you being here has helped me a lot.” His smile grew a little softer. “You do know how inspiring you are, don't you? Alisha told me herself.”

“Says you. But Alisha? Does she...”

“Oh no, she doesn't know about you!” Sorey declined, shaking his head. “Of course not. But she's been able to tell over the last few weeks that I've been a bit different, like I've had someone inspiring come into my life. She even said that whoever was doing that must have been my muse! So I'm not the only one who is inspiring.” He waited for one of Mikleo's possible reactions to that statement, surprised when he didn't receive any of them. He looked down at him, feeling a little concerned. “Mikleo?”

Wide, purple eyes met his. Sorey would have panicked if he had seen fear, but he hadn't. That expression was merely surprise, as though he came to a realisation. “Muse...”

“Um, that's what I said?”

“I know, but...” Mikleo's hand crept to his mouth. “That's my mother's name.”

“ _What?”_ Sorey exclaimed, shocked considering he hadn't expected Mikleo to suddenly remember something on the spot. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Mikleo responded. Lailah was on her feet by now. Her eyes were watery.

“Mikleo...” she said gently, smiling. “Oh Mikleo, that's wonderful!”

“It's not just her name,” Mikleo continued, eyebrows furrowing a little in concentration. “I- I remember more. I've already remembered how she gave me my circlet – I'm sorry I kept that to myself. But I can see her now; helping me with homework, us going shopping together, watching movies together under a blanket...” His voice which had been rising out of excitement dropped a little, face pained. “I remember her sitting by my hospital bed, too. Crying and holding my hand.” He found himself gliding his fingers across his circlet. “I don't remember everything, but my past life is definitely becoming less of a blur.”

“All from just one name,” Lailah said softly, directing her smile at Sorey. “Looks like you did more than you would expect from telling him about Alisha.”

“I really didn't expect this to happen at all,” he chuckled. His adoring gaze diverted back to Mikleo. “But I'm glad it did.”

“I think she'd still be alive,” Mikleo stated. “But… I don't know her last name. How would I find her?”

“Do you know if she was religious at all?” Sorey asked. Mikleo thought over this for a few moments, eyes concentrating.

“I think so. She was definitely spiritual.”

“So we'll go to Pendrago and ask at the church! We might be able to find out more about you.”

“That's a good idea, but...”

“What is it?”

When Mikleo only responded with a bite on his lip, Lailah answered for him. “Remember, Sorey, that this is Mikleo's mother we are talking about,” she began to explain, deciding on complete honesty. “She is alive, whilst Mikleo is not. Whilst you get to speak to her, Mikleo can only watch. That is heart breaking for any person, weak or strong.”

“I'm sorry, I didn't think over how hard that'd be,” Sorey apologised, feeling guilty. “I'm sorry, Mikleo. We don't have to go if it'd be too distressing.”

But Mikleo shook his head, having come to his conclusion. “No, it's best if we go. I might be able to remember more that way, or we can at least find out how I died.”

“Are you sure you have that strength?” Lailah asked. Mikleo understood that she wasn't questioning Mikleo's strength in general – she was merely looking out for him, concerned that hearing so much distressing information would damage him emotionally.

He nodded. “It'll be hard, but I want to go.”

“I'll have to remain here, for I do not know of an angel nearby who can watch over Ladylake in my place,” she explained, bowing her head in apology. “But I hope that you find her.”

“We'll go this Saturday, okay?” Sorey stated, smiling. “It's an hour and fifteen minute train ride to Pendrago.”

Mikleo nodded, smiling a little at the mention of that day. “One month.”

“Huh?”

“On that day, it'd have been one month since we met.”

“Oh! Yeah, it would be, wouldn't it? Time has flown for me!”

Lailah watched their exchanged smiles and words, a mixture of happiness and guilt rising in her chest.

 

* * *

 

 

Saturday came by quickly, the days passing by smoothly with Sorey's currently busy schedules at work and Mikleo's time spent outside with Lailah. She wished them luck one last time, silently praying to herself that they would be able to find Mikleo's mother.

The two decided to get a train in the morning. They had to take the length of the journey, how long it might take to find Muse and speak to her _and_ the fact that they had to return home in mind.

The two ate breakfast at nine after rising a little earlier than they had to. Both wanted time to prepare themselves mentally first, especially Mikleo.

“Are you sure that you're ready for this?” Sorey asked whilst they were eating a plate of scrambled eggs on toast. “I don't want you to become too overwhelmed.”

“I'm positive,” Mikleo replied, sipping a cup of tea. “It's now or never, after all.”

“As long as you're certain.” Sorey finished off his food before speaking again, a grin growing on his face as he reached into his pocket. “I've got a present for you.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“Close your eyes and hold out your hand.” Mikleo sighed, but he obeyed. Sorey placed an old smartphone into Mikleo's hand. “Okay, open!”

Mikleo looked a little confused for a moment. “You… Bought me a phone?”

“Not buy. I knew I had an old one _somewhere,_ I just had to find it. The train gets really busy on Saturdays, so I thought it would be useful so I don't get stared at for talking to myself. It seems like people can't see things that you're holding. Plus, you can call me any time you need me, now!”

“That makes sense,” Mikleo responded, smiling as he put the phone into the pocket of his pale jeans. “Thank you, I appreciate the thought.”

“No problem! There is another thing I'm thinking about with this train journey, though.” Mikleo looked at him curiously.

“What's that?”

“Your wings,” he stated, looking at them poking through a lightweight sweatshirt slipping off his left shoulder, revealing a tank top underneath. “People can feel them slightly and they _can_ bump into things. I know you can keep them against your back, but … can you really do that for so long?”

“I _do_ forget to do that sometimes. I've bumped into people on the street.” Mikleo glanced at them. “What do you suggest?”

“We could always try and tie them so they're wrapped around you? Maybe they won't go through material if you're actually forcing them down.” Sorey looked at the spot where they went through the pastel material. “I don't even know how that magic works.”

“We could try it,” Mikleo said. “It saves making things awkward on the train.”

“Come on, we'll go do it now.”

Mikleo nodded, following Sorey out of the kitchen after they put their plates, cutlery and mugs into the dishwasher. Mikleo waited on the sofa in the lounge whilst Sorey grabbed a light scarf out of his bedroom.

“This will be hard to do with clothing in the way,” he stated once he returned. This time, Mikleo wasn't on the brink of unconsciousness when he had to remove his clothing, and he could quickly feel heat rising to his face. Unfortunately, it was picked up on quickly. “What? I've seen you topless already!”

“I know that,” Mikleo muttered, pulling both items of clothing over his head. “But that's not really helping.”

“There's nothing to be embarrassed about, silly,” Sorey responded as he sat down next to Mikleo, who could have sworn he heard a _'I'm definitely not complaining'_ under Sorey's breath. He decided to pretend he didn't when he realised he might have melted into a puddle right there and then. “Right, how are we doing this?”

“I'll hold them down, you tie them.”

“Okay!”

Mikleo folded the wings against his back, pressing them further against his skin. Sorey stretched the fabric in his hands, brushing against the base of the wings. He pulled back when he felt Mikleo shudder. “Sorry! Did I hurt you?”

“No, it's just sensitive near my spine.”

“Ah, sorry. I'll just tie it near your waist, that should work...”

Only when Sorey's fingers accidentally prodded at Mikleo's side, the jolt and quiet snort he received in response didn't need any questioning. He pulled back, smirking.

“Why are you pulling back _now?_ ”

“It's just...” Sorey discarded the scarf to one side. “You've been here for _one month_ , and I _never_ knew you're ticklish.”

“Wait, don't you _dare -_ ah, get off, you idiot! Stop!”

Mikleo burst into fits of laughter when Sorey's hands attacked his sides, trying to turn around to grab Sorey's wrists. His grip was weak from his giggles, however, and Sorey easily slid out of his grasp, Mikleo leaning forward when Sorey's hands returned to his sides. They reached up to his armpits after that, and that's when the tickling suddenly stopped.

“ _Ow_ Mikleo, that hurt!”

“What? What did I do?” Mikleo questioned, breathless. He turned around fully to look at Sorey, who was holding his eye. Confused, Mikleo only stared for a moment, before his gaze shifted to the wings on his back. That's when he realised they had shot out in a natural response. “Oh God, I'm sorry!”

“You could poke an eye out with those things, which I think you almost did,” Sorey responded, taking his hand away from his eye. It was red and watery, a single tear escaping. “It's a good thing they're so soft.”

“It's your fault for tickling me, you know. I really am sorry, though.” But after a moment of looking at Sorey's eye, he couldn't control his laughter. Sorey pouted, folding his arms.

“Don't laugh, I could have been seriously injured!” he exclaimed, but he soon joined in with the laughter. “Okay, maybe it _was_ a little funny.” After both of their laughter calmed, he blinked a few times before picking up the scarf again. “All right, we better actually do this.”

“No tickling this time.”

“No tickling,” Sorey repeated as a promise. When Mikleo folded them back into place, encasing them under his arms and around his torso, Sorey wrapped the scarf over the bottom of the wings and around Mikleo's waist, doing so again a little higher up his body. He tied it at the back – not tightly, but also not loose enough to come undone. He carefully let go, instructing Mikleo to do the same. A cheer was let out when they stayed in place, fairly flat against Mikleo's body. “That was a good job, if I do say so myself!”

“Let's see what it's like with clothing over it,” Mikleo said, thankful to be able to throw the tank top and sweatshirt back over his head. He stood when he did so, turning to Sorey with a hand on his hip. “How well can you see them? I'm curious.”

Sorey stayed silent, for he couldn't see them at all. The looseness of the sweatshirt caused no bulge of feathers to show through. This brought silence because he had no other way to react; not with the rush of emotions it was causing him.

Mikleo looked like a regular human being. Beautiful, but human. Sorey had gotten so used to the wings that he had never pictured Mikeo without them. But now they were hidden from sight, it was hard to imagine that he was dead. He looked as though he was just yet another member of society, not someone who had their future snatched away at what was clearly a young age.

He was still utterly ethereal, only without the reminder of what he was. The reminder that they were worlds apart.

“Sorey?” Mikleo said. “Sorey, do… Do you have tears in your eyes?”

“Huh?” Sorey blinked. He rubbed them, cursing himself silently for letting his emotions get to him so much. “I'm fine.”

“What is it? Do I really look that bad without wings?” he joked, but he was still clearly concerned over Sorey's reaction.

“No- no, you look beautiful as ever, it's just...” The choked sound of Sorey's voice made Mikleo unable to react to the compliment. “You look like a human, and … it's just upsetting, that's all.”

“Well, we are the same, though I just have wings,” Mikleo said, forcing a smile. He knew what Sorey meant by those words, and wanted to do anything but dwell on it.

“We should go,” Sorey then said quickly, also wanting to move on from the topic. He grabbed a white hooded sweatshirt which was folded over the sofa, wrapping it around his hips. “Oh, but they're not hurting at all, are they?”

“No, it's just a little uncomfortable. I'll get used to it.”

“That's okay, then.” He then managed to grin, eyes amused. “Hey, you'll be getting a free train journey, you know. I thought angels were supposed to be pure, not steal things.”

“I won't be getting a ticket, I'll just be getting on.”

“Still illegal. I should be arresting you right now.”

“Yet you're not, making you bad at your job.”

They both laughed, before Sorey picked up a long brown box containing the Sacred Blade. It was Mikleo's idea; it was too risky for the Shepherd to travel without it, yet he couldn't exactly carry around a sword in a holster. This way, it looked as though he was simply carrying a large package. Box now in his hand, they left the apartment.

It was a fifteen minute walk to the station and the train was leaving in twenty, so their pace was a little fast. During the walk, Sorey was preoccupied with not letting his thoughts wander back to the upsetting thought of Mikleo. But when they were walking side by side, the spring breeze not rustling any feathers, it was hard to not do so. People still walked by as though he didn't exist.

Soon enough, their fast pace allowed them to arrive a little earlier than what was anticipated. Sorey bought his ticket, quickly typing out a message to Mikleo as he waited for the payment to process. The station was rather packed, and neither wanted Sorey to get himself in an awkward situation.

_'Walk in front of me when we go through. It might close if you go behind me.'_

Mikleo nodded, taking the lead. Sorey put his ticket into the machine, Mikleo beginning to realise just how close together this situation made them. Wondering if the day was just going to be filled with things which made him want the ground to swallow him whole, he quickly passed through the gate as it opened, Sorey following behind him.

“That's that,” he murmured, grinning. Mikleo couldn't help but chuckle; as a police officer, Sorey seemed highly amused that he was sneaking an angel onto the train.

It was unsurprising that it was packed, though luckily, there were two free spaces next to each other at a table seat, the other side accompanied by a mother and teenage daughter. Mikleo rolled his eyes when he noticed said teenager eyeing Sorey rather obviously, her gaze on his face before dropping down to his toned arms, bare from a dark blue T-shirt. Mikleo couldn't exact blame her, though. Oblivious, Sorey typed out a message to him after resting the package against the train's wall.

 _'Over one hour of sitting here_ _without me speaking to you out loud._ _How will_ _you_ _cope?'_

Mikleo rolled his eyes again, but he let out a laugh. “I think I'll be coping quite well, actually.”

_'D: You're mean.'_

The train journey was relaxing, Mikleo looking past Sorey out of the window at the scenery which flew by. Though there were some grey clouds in the distance, it was currently warm and full of sunshine, allowing them to feel at ease.

Only at one of their stops, there was a sudden exaggerated cough from Sorey. Mikleo glanced at him, confused, before looking up. His eyes popped out at the sight of someone with their eyes on the apparently empty seat Mikleo was sitting in, with a clear goal to obtain it. Hesitating caused the man to soon be right near their table, and in a rush which caused him to move a lot less gracefully than usual, he stumbled to his feet and fell onto Sorey's side, who was trying not to laugh at the sudden angel which had fallen onto his lap. Luckily, the man who was now sitting down smiled, thinking that Sorey's sudden grin was in greeting. Blowing strands of hair out of his eyes, Mikleo scrambled off Sorey and onto the edge of the table in front of the seats, legs dangling in front of Sorey's. He glanced down at the phone which he had managed to keep in his hand, eyes scanning over a message.

' _I would have been fine with you staying in my lap ;)'_

Not catching Sorey's eye, Mikleo kicked a shin in front of him, face burning. He laughed when Sorey yelped from the sudden pain, causing the three sitting with him to look at him with a mixture of concern and confusion.

“I have a really bad, uh, cramp,” he lied, stretching out the leg Mikleo had kicked to the side of him. “I moved it a bit and yeah, sudden pain, haha!”

Luckily, the lie which seemed utterly awful to Mikleo seemed to do the trick. Mikleo laughed again when Sorey glared at him when the others weren't looking.

_'Why are you being so mean to me today?'_

Mikleo ignored him, choosing to look back out of the window instead. His eyes widened a little, having not expected stretches of gorgeous landscape on the side of the train, stretching out for what seemed like miles. The grass was a lush green, plants dancing in the gentle breeze.

_'That's the Meadow of Triumph. It's great for hikers!'_

“It's beautiful."

His body relaxed as he took in the incredible sight, leaning back on the hands which he held down onto the table, legs swinging gently. The passengers sharing the seats with them were also getting off at Pendrago, meaning that Mikleo was left perching for the rest of the journey. There was only half an hour remaining, however, so he didn't have to stay there for too long. Plus, though he tried not to dwell on it, he found himself smiling whenever his legs accidentally brushed against Sorey's. He attempted to cover it so Sorey didn't notice, but he did every time. Mikleo was oblivious to how this was the reason Sorey shifted his legs forward a little so they brushed against each other slightly more frequently.

Small touches like this were beginning to feel much more welcoming than either would expect.

 

* * *

 

 

The sunshine had been replaced by a cloudy sky by the time they were walking through Pendrago, threatening to let rain fall.

Before the two ventured to the church, they stopped by a bakery to buy two pastries. Eyes warily glancing up at the sky, the two walked through the streets of Pendrago, which were incredibly lively. Mikleo walked close to Sorey in order to both stay out of people's way and also to not get lost, thankful that his wings were tied down under his clothes.

Whilst Ladylake had an air of history and was filled with nature, Pendrago was a little more modernised, less of their buildings old-fashioned. However, there was a relief from being here, and that was the lesser amount of malevolence compressing their chests. Perhaps the people near them simply had less of it, though the city as a whole could have generally been more free from it.

They _did_ still come across a few hellions despite this, but they were only small ones out of the way of the busy streets, Sorey able to purify them in an instant before hiding the sword away. Still, despite how small they were, Sorey grinned over the accomplishment. Mikleo knew why – this was, after all, the first time Sorey had purified anything outside of Ladylake.

Shortly after finishing their pastries, they had arrived at the church in Pendrago. As all churches seemed to be in this part of the world, it was beautiful, but it wasn't quite as grand as Ladylake's.

“Let's go ask,” Sorey said quietly. Mikleo nodded, nerves beginning to clutch at his chest. Sorey squeezed his arm gently before walking up to the wooden doors, opening them by the circular handle.

It was fairly busy inside, apparently discussing some kind of event. Sorey's eyes scanned the room until he eventually spotted the priest, lingering for a moment to wait until his current conversation dropped. He then dashed over, plastering a friendly smile on his face.

“Hello!” he greeted, his cheerfulness immediately bringing the man's attention to him. The man glanced at the package in Sorey's hand curiously before meeting Sorey's eyes. “I'm sorry to disturb you. I was wondering if you could help me with something real quick?”

“Of course,” the priest smiled back.

“I'm looking for a woman called Muse,” he started. “Brown hair, purple eyes -”

“I do not even require an explanation of her appearance to know who you mean,” the man chuckled. “Muse is here during all of our events. She's right over there, serving drinks.”

Sorey's eyes widened, turning around quickly, Mikleo doing the same besides him. Neither were ready to believe that their search had happened this easily. They had to lean to look past the crowds of people, but soon, their eyes fell on a smiling woman assisting a girl with serving lemonade.

Mikleo could only freeze in that moment. Even from a distance, her beauty only seemed more vivid in person, her wonderful personality radiating from her. He was still in place, unsure of what to say or think, when Sorey thanked the priest.

“I'm going over,” he murmured to Mikleo, who only barely managed to nod and walk behind Sorey.

The closer they got to the woman, the more the desire to run and jump into her arms grew, but of course, he couldn't. He thought he might have began crying when her voice spoke out to Sorey.

“Hello there,” she greeted, the sound of her voice just as gentle as it was in Mikleo's memories, her smile just as warm and welcoming. “Lemonade?”

“No, I'm fine, but thank you.” Sorey hesitated for a moment, fighting the urge to turn around and see if Mikleo was okay. “I was wondering if I could possibly speak to you, actually.”

“Oh?” the woman blinked. “What about?”

“I- uh, I was wondering if I could speak to you about your son.”

Silence fell for a few moments, the woman's eyes widening. For a moment, Sorey thought she might decline, upset and angered by the request. But thankfully, she looked down at the girl next to her, plaited hair falling over her shoulder.

“Would you be able to manage this on your own for a while? Your mother will be back soon.”

The girl nodded, grinning. “I'll be fine!”

The woman smiled in response, though Sorey noticed how it seemed a little more forced than her natural smile from moments ago.

“Let's speak outside,” she suggested, Sorey nodding in response. Turning around allowed him the chance to inspect Mikleo's face. He had half-expected to see tears, but Mikleo simply looked uncertain, biting his lip. His distant eyes _were_ still glistening, however. Sorey tugged on Mikleo's sleeve to get him to walk by his side out of the church. He didn't seem to be standing very steadily, so Sorey lightly held onto his hand. A thumb rubbed against the back of it when Sorey felt that it was trembling a little, a small smile growing on his face when it settled.

“It'll be okay,” he murmured as they passed through the doors, the grip slowly loosening until Mikleo's hand was released. Muse was standing to the side waiting for Sorey, briefly smiling when their eyes locked. Mikleo wished he was receiving the gaze. He swallowed, his throat sore from holding back tears.

“Who are you?” Muse questioned when Sorey walked over to her, Mikleo dawdling behind.

“I'm Sorey,” he greeted. “I, uh, I knew your son when we were younger.”

Muse raised an eyebrow, silent as she studied his face. “Where did you meet him?”

“Um, just in high school. He wasn't in any of my classes, but I saw him around. I was hoping to meet him again to uh, learn more about him, but I found out that he passed.”

“High school...” Muse said, her voice slightly airy as though her thoughts were wandering. She stared at his eyes for a moment, as though she was inspecting their vibrancy, before she shook her head. “Ah, I'm sorry, I just recognise you from somewhere. So you want to ask me about Mikleo? It seems strange you randomly thought of him now.”

Sorey was running out of lies. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, actually, I didn't think you'd believe me if I expanded properly.”

“I am sure that I will.”

“I've always had a high resonance with the supernatural,” he said. “And recently I, well, I think I've been able to sense his presence.”

Muse's eyes widened a little. “Are you certain it is his?”

“Most certainly.”

“I've felt it before, too.” Her voice was softer now, eyes hurt but a smile on her face. “Not very strongly, but sometimes, it was like he was right next to me.”

Mikleo, whose eyes had been staring down at his feet to stop himself from looking at his mother, allowed himself to avert his gaze to her after those words. He still maintained a distance, unsure of how he would react if Muse could sense him, but he was filled with further conflicting emotions.

“I'm sure he was,” Sorey smiled.

“Shall we discuss this over a cup of coffee?” Muse suggested. “They will be fine without me for a while, and there is a nice place around the corner.”

“Sure!”

 

* * *

 

 

The coffee shop was small and quaint, the décor classic. It had a welcoming atmosphere, the aroma of coffee hitting them as soon as they entered. After ordering their coffees, they sat down at one of the tables, Mikleo sitting on top of another one nearby. He was still afraid over her resonance picking up his presence. Sorey thought for a moment that he would wait outside, but apparently, he was determined to listen to her answers himself. Perhaps he was craving to hear more of her voice.

“How much do you know about Mikleo?” she began, stirring two sugars into her coffee.

“Not that much,” Sorey answered. “I never really got to ask him about much. We never had the chance to be close friends, and… Uh, I guess being visited by him now is a sign that I should have learnt more about him when I had the chance. I _do_ still miss him.”

She smiled sadly. “I'm sure that's what he wants too, considering it's likely he is the one who led you here.”

Sorey nodded. “He was, I'm certain of it.” It was easy to say this smoothly, considering it wasn't exactly a lie. It was Mikleo's returning memories which had brought them here, after all.

“Well, maybe I should start with something he probably never told you,” she said, lips growing into a small amused grin. “Mikleo isn't actually his real name. Or at least, that's not his first name on his birth certificate.”

“What is it?”

“Luzrov Rulay. It means 'Mikleo the Enforcer', hence where his middle name came from. He _hated_ it though, so Mikleo Rulay was the name which was put on his school registers, Luzrov left out completely.” She laughed softly. “It was his father's idea. Luzrov was the name of Mikleo's great grandfather, you see.”

“I can see why he wouldn't want to tell someone that,” Sorey chuckled. “It _is_ unique, though that's probably why I like it.”

“He never forgave his father for that.” After those words, her face fell. “Though it wasn't as though he had a very long time to show this. His father – my husband – died when he was eight.”

Images of how distressed Mikleo had looked following the dream of his abuse flashed in Sorey's mind. “I'm sorry about your loss.”

She shook her head. “Thank you, though I moved on over time. It's human nature, but as a spiritual person, I naturally didn't see his death as the end for him.”

“Do you mind me asking what happened to him?”

“He died in a fire at his workplace,” she explained, eyebrows furrowing. “We worked in the same office, actually. I was sick that day. I saw it as a sign that I was meant to remain here with my son, though when a new position was offered after it was restored, I declined. I was too traumatised to go back.”

Sorey nodded in understanding, voice and expression sympathetic. “That's understandable.”

“The event had been hard on my income, so I had to rely on my brother to support us.” Sorey had to stop himself from shuddering, knowing what was to come. “He was so kind and supportive at first, despite how he often had to leave unexpectedly, never explaining where he was going. I was suspicious over that – I mean, who knows what he could have been doing? But then… I don't know why, but his kindness began to disappear. He was changing so quickly it was terrifying. It led him to abuse me, and finally, Mikleo too.” Muse's form seemed to become smaller, hands which had let go of her forgotten coffee grasping together. “I couldn't take that any more, and got us out of there as quickly as possible. Mikleo had already been through the death of his father – I couldn't just sit by and let him suffer from Michael, too.”

“You were very brave to take matters into your own hands,” Sorey commented kindly. “Abuse victims often feel too trapped to do so, which is obviously understandable. But I'm glad that you had the strength to fight for freedom.”

Muse smiled. “Thank you. I don't think I would have had the confidence to do so if it wasn't for what happened to Mikleo, but I still appreciate your kindness.”

Whilst she finally took a gulp of coffee, with his own mug by his lips, Sorey took the opportunity to glance over at Mikleo. He was looking down at his hands, hair covering his face so Sorey had no chance to read his expression. However, the hunched form still stated a lot on its own, considering Mikleo usually had a perfect posture.

“So did you move to Pendrago back then, or was that only more recently?” Sorey asked, already knowing this information but choosing to ask to make himself seem more natural.

“It was back then. We never saw Michael again, what with the distance between us. We moved in with a friend of mine before I managed to pay for a place of our own.” Her fingers tapped against her mug, suddenly looking guilty. “Mikleo didn't want to go. I can't quite remember it clearly, but there was something which would make him miss his life in Ladylake terribly. I encouraged him to move with the promise to return there.” Her expression transformed into one of puzzlement. “Though we never did. I asked him about it, but he just blinked, clueless. Maybe it was simply anxiety over moving that made him be so hesitant about going...” She then shook her head to clear her confusing thoughts. “Anyway, his time in high school was incredibly enjoyable for him. He excelled at his subjects, but despite his perfect grades, he didn't choose to go down an academic route for college. He embraced his passion for cooking instead.”

“So he...” Sorey paused, unsure of how to word his question properly. “Had … time, to go to college?”

Muse knew what he meant, and nodded. “He went to college for one and a half years.” She bit down on her lip, hands tightening around her mug. “Before he died not long after his birthday.”

Sorey glanced over at Mikleo again, whose form seemed even smaller. Pain struck his chest over how he currently couldn't do anything to comfort him.

All he could do was finish this as soon as possible. “How did he die?”

He didn't expect such a vague response. “We don't know.” She looked down at the mug in her hands, trying to hold back tears. “At least, not properly. He was always so wonderfully healthy. He ate well, though he did let himself cheat with his favourite sweets. He made sure to keep himself active with running and yoga, was always strict on how much he slept… Yet one day, he just collapsed out of the blue. Hoping that he just overworked himself, I called an ambulance. I was worried, of course, but I didn't expect it to be serious.” A tear fell down onto the table beneath her. “I didn't expect the doctors to tell me that he only had a few days to live,” she choked out, more tears falling. His own eyes glistening, Sorey put his hand over hers, which managed to help her continue. “They told me his organs were failing, yet they couldn't tell me why, because they didn't have a clue. All I could do was sit with him during those final days, trying to comfort him. I had never seen him so weak, so frail … nor had I seen that many tears since the abuse from Michael.”

There was silence for a few moments as she inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to find the strength to finish.

“And then,” she continued, her voice breathless from her sobs, “his last day arrived. I was holding onto his hand. It was colder than ice, and I knew what was happening. I tried to hold back my tears, tried to stay strong just so that he could pass with a smile on his face, but how could I _not_ cry with my son dying in front of me? His eyes kept opening and closing, trying his best to hold on, but then they closed for the final time and never opened again.

“I couldn't accept it. My only son had suddenly passed away at just eighteen.” She wiped at her eyes, trying to stop them. “I'm sorry, even though it's been five years, I still can't- oh dear, I didn't mean to make you cry as well...”

Sorey blinked, putting a hand to his face, surprised to find it wet. He rarely cried – in fact, he wasn't sure of the last time he actually did so.

“I'm fine, really,” he said, wiping at his eyes, though considering more tears fell with a choked sob, it was pointless to wipe them in the first place. “I just - if he survived, he'd be the same age as me, and I…”

He wiped at his eyes again, getting up out of his seat so he could walk over to Muse's side and put his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. She returned the embrace, body shaking from her last few sobs. Sorey's head turned to the side, trying to look at Mikleo. He was bent over now, head in his hands. Whilst Sorey couldn't hear anything coming from him, Sorey assumed he was crying himself.

“Thank you for telling me this,” Sorey murmured, both pulling apart from each other as their tears began to cease. “I didn't expect you to be so open.”

“I wouldn't have been if you were anyone else,” she admitted. “But the fact that you have sensed him, and your eyes...” She shook her head. “I'm just going to confuse myself. I'd best be off back to...”

Her words drifted off, and it was clear to see why. Silently, Mikleo had slid off the table he had been sitting on and placed a delicate hand on top of his mother's shoulder, head still lowered, but not enough for Sorey to not see the biting of his lip and the tear-stained cheeks.

“Mikleo?” Muse said, eyes widening. She went to place her hand on Mikleo's, but by then, it had already been removed, Mikleo's back turning as though he was no longer able to look at her. “I could have sworn...”

“He's here with us,” Sorey murmured. “You can bet on it.”

She put a hand over her mouth, new tears threatening to fall. But they didn't; she instead moved her hand down over her heart, hand gently grasping the material of her blouse as her eyes closed.

“If you can hear me, Mikleo, I want you to know that I love you and will never stop thinking about you. I hope that you've been granted happiness in the life you're living now.” Muse opened her eyes, looking at Sorey. “Thank you, Sorey. You might not know this, but you've done a lot for me today.”

“No, thank _you_ ,” Sorey smiled. “I really appreciate you telling me all this.” He pulled out a note to put on the table.

“Oh, I can pay -”

“It's my way of saying 'thank you'. I have to go back to Ladylake, but I hope that we meet again.”

“I'm sure we will.”

They waved to each other outside of the coffee shop before heading their separate ways. Sorey grabbed the hand of Mikleo, who had been trailing behind slowly, and pulled him into an alleyway when he was certain that Muse was out of sight. After placing the Sacred Blade down onto the floor, he brought Mikleo closer, arms wrapping around him. Mikleo didn't hesitate to bury his face into Sorey's chest as he wailed, hands grasping at the material of his shirt. Sorey held back his own remaining tears, one hand moving up to hold Mikleo's head, fingers stroking the soft strands of hair comfortingly.

“You're okay,” he murmured, tightening his hold on Mikleo's trembling body, trying to ease his anguish. “It's over now, you're all right...”

“She couldn't even see me,” he rasped out. “She was right there, and-” His words stopped so he could inhale deeply, breathing uneven from his crying. “And… I was just _eighteen,_ Sorey-”

“I know, Mikleo.” Sorey rested his head on top of Mikleo's, closing his eyes as his instincts told him to place an unbelievably soft kiss on silvery hair. “I know.”

After a time which felt excruciatingly long, Mikleo finally seemed to run out of tears, his body relaxing in Sorey's arms. Or at least, it slumped, losing all will to keep upright. Sorey pulled back slightly, resting his hands on Mikleo's arms, scared of letting go in case he fell.

“I'm fine now,” he whispered. His eyes were red and puffy, lips pale and dry.

“It's okay to not be fine,” Sorey responded softly. “But I'm proud of you for doing that. I- I don't think I could have the mental strength to do what you did.”

“You're stronger than anyone, though.”

“Still not strong enough for that.” And he meant it. Sitting on the sidelines, unable to be seen by the mother as she described your life, telling the story of your death… He doubted many people at all could sit through all that.

“If you say so.”

“Come on, let's get home,” Sorey said, glancing up at the sky as he untied the hooded sweatshirt from around his hips and pulled it on. “It looks like it's going to rain any minute.”

And it did so, luckily once they had arrived at the station after a silent walk filled with misery they couldn't shift. Thankfully, the train they caught wasn't at a peak time, leaving them able to sit by each other without complications, the area around them surprisingly quiet.

Whilst rain usually calmed Mikleo, the torrent of water hammering against the window, the bellowing wind, they were certainly anything but relaxing. The inside of the train was at least warm, but it wasn't thick enough to block out the sound, enough for them to forget about it and rest properly.

They had been silent for a whole thirty minutes on the train before Mikleo finally spoke.

“Sorey?”

“Yeah?” Sorey responded quietly, looking at him with a little relief over hearing his voice again.

“Do you remember what you said the day I woke up?”

“You'll have to elaborate,” Sorey chuckled softly. “I said a lot of things.”

“When you were naming me, because I didn't know what my name was.”

“I don't think so. What, that you should be called Steve?”

Mikleo was too serious to be amused, shaking his head as he looked back at Sorey. “After that.”

Sorey pondered over this for a moment before his eyes widened, words flooding back to him.

“ _Too basic? How about … uh … Luzrov Rulay.”_

“I only… I didn't...” Sorey was too stunned to speak properly.

“You were only joking about a name which randomly came to your head, I know.” Mikleo's body twisted so he was facing forward, leaning with his head in his hands, clearly thinking. “I think my mind was too messed up then to recognise it, or maybe it just didn't seem natural because of how long I was called Mikleo for. But Sorey, how would _you_ know it? And my preferred name, too? How could my mother, who doesn't ever remember meeting you, recognise your appearance?” Mikleo raised his head again, eyes desperate and confused. “I think… I think we've already met.”

“I do as well, but -” Sorey hesitated, just as puzzled as Mikleo. “But why would I forget you, too? I could never forget someone like you.”

Mikleo only shook his head hopelessly. “I don't know. I can remember more of my old life now, but… This is still so unclear.”

“At least you remember more now. That's a good sign.”

“I'm not remembering something important though, if we've already met before.” His voice was quiet, whether out of shyness or simply sadness, Sorey did not know.

“We'll ask Lailah, see if this is something she can speak to us about.”

Mikleo nodded. “All right.” Sorey didn't expect him to lean sideways, lolling his head against Sorey's shoulder. But he wasn't complaining, barely hesitating to put an arm around Mikleo's shoulders.

“Tired?” he asked as Mikleo's eyes closed, receiving a hum in reply. “I guess I'm cooking tonight, then.”

“Don't burn it.”

Sorey laughed softly, rubbing a circular motion around Mikleo's upper arm.

“At least we can make our pact now we know my name,” Mikleo added. Sorey only hummed unenthusiastically in response, Mikleo too exhausted to react to it. He simply let out a small sigh, eyes closing again as he appreciated the warmth of Sorey's shoulder, the comforting touch on his arm slowly easing his mind.

Neither had any idea how they should have been feeling in that moment in time. This intimacy, feeling as natural as breathing, was it really something they could label as 'friendship'?

“If you see her again,” Mikleo spoke up after minutes of silence, "can you give her a message from me?”

“Of course I can. What would you want to say?”

“I'm still thinking of that. Maybe an apology for forgetting her.”

He laughed, a bittersweet sound which Sorey could feel Mikleo's body tense up from. Making a quick decision, Sorey gently positioned Mikleo off his shoulder, the angel looking at him curiously as Sorey shuffled out of his hooded sweatshirt, putting it over Mikleo's shoulders. Mikleo only blinked for a moment, before his left hand crossed over his torso and grabbed onto it, looking away shyly. It seemed to have done what Sorey was aiming for, and that was give him a sense of warmth and security.

“Hey,” he said as Mikleo suddenly eased himself down, head and shoulders resting on Sorey's lap. “I got a kick in the shin when I said you could stay there earlier.”

“I'm tired, and you're comfortable.”

“I love how you say that so simply, yet you're getting embarrassed,” Sorey teased, poking a finger at a pink cheek. Mikleo huffed, turning to the side so his head was facing away from Sorey, resting against his arms.

“Shut it.”

Sorey laughed softly, hand automatically resting on Mikleo's shoulder as he stared out of the window. He hadn't noticed earlier, but the wind and rain were easing. In the distance of the Meadow of Triumph, he could see just a single ray of sunshine blasting through the clouds, emerging before it was immersed by a night sky before long.

“Sorey?”

He looked down. Mikleo was still facing away.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for doing this for me.” His voice was quiet, an edge of heartache evident in it, but there was also heavy gratitude. “It means a lot.”

Sorey smiled warmly, moving his hand from Mikleo's shoulder to run a hand through his hair, receiving an appreciative sound in response. “Anything for you.”

With those words and their contact with each other, Sorey was coming to the conclusion that the strong emotions he felt towards Mikleo couldn't possibly stop at friendship, the same thoughts running through Mikleo's mind. The realisation brought them both joy they couldn't express and also fear of where this would lead them.

After all, wouldn't something between a human and angel bring nothing but despair?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hnnn I loved writing this, I'm obsessed with emotion.
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have a moment! Though I hope you're not too damaged after this chapter. (I'm sure it wasn't THAT bad)
> 
> Also, for those who might be confused at Mikleo being at college at 16-18, the reason for this is because I'm going by the educational system in the UK, where we finish high school at 16.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Next week's will be shorter (understandable from the length of this one), but I hope you're looking forward to it.


	11. Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The following day after seeing Muse brings an air of tension, one which Mikleo is trying to avoid, but his frustration builds as the day goes on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I made so many of you upset over the last chapter, wow... Although admittedly, it does also make me happy, as I feel proud that my writing can cause that emotion. So thank you for leaving your thoughts, it's really encouraging!
> 
> Also, I thought I'd say that I'm aware of Sorey's height in the game, but I've mentioned him to be a little taller in this chapter - reason being is that he's about six years older than he is the game (considering he's meant to be around 17 in it), and I know from my 6'2" brother that a lot of growing can happen within those years... Not from myself, as I haven't grown in a century.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

Both Sorey and Mikleo slept soundly that night, despite how much their minds were racing. The day's events had led them both to exhaustion, Mikleo falling into bed not long after their food. Sorey could see precisely why – after all, anyone would be left emotionally drained if they had to go through that. It left them leaving further discussions about the new information until another time.

It was a good thing too, considering neither knew how to feel over the possibility of them already meeting in the past. It brought too many questions and guilt over forgetting one and another.

Had they been close, or had they merely been acquaintances?

Sorey, still awake for a while as Mikleo slept, thought it must have been the first. It started to tie together the confusions he'd had. Since day one, he had pinned down his protectiveness to his nature, simply how he had always been. But also since day one, Mikleo had felt different. It felt even more natural to be there for him, to take his hand to pull him through the darkness of lost memories. Each touch, each smile he saw, it brought him emotion that he thought couldn't even exist. Not this strongly, at least.

Mere acquaintances couldn't bring something like this. There had to have been more to it.

“What are you to me?” Sorey murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed where Mikleo slept. He didn't know what to do, what to even think about his confusing emotions. Part of him wanted to hold them close, but he also wanted to let them go, too frightened over what it meant for the two of them.

Sorey laid down next to Mikleo, a small smile growing on his face when he remembered the night he had accidentally fell asleep here, the night Mikleo had been hurt by hellions. Now his face was more relaxed, features gentle and his breaths soft. Unlike last time, Sorey wasn't taken aback when he was filled with the urge to brush their lips against each other. But of course, he couldn't.

He settled for brushing his lips lightly on Mikleo's head again, a smile appearing on his face. Though he blinked when Mikleo suddenly stirred, one eye opening. Sorey sat up immediately.

“Sorey…?” he yawned sleepily, both eyes now open.

“I'm sorry if I woke you. Just came to see if you're okay.”

Mikleo hummed. “I'm fine.”

“I'll – uh, I'll leave you be, then.” Feeling embarrassed and certain his face was beginning to blush, he was quick to slide off the bed and onto his feet.

“Wait, I –” Mikleo stopped when Sorey's eyes met his, looking curious. He bit down onto his lip, words on the tip of his tongue but unable to be said. “I – it doesn't matter.”

“Are you sure?"

“It's nothing.” Mikleo turned over, hiding his face against his hands.

“All right.” Mikleo could have sworn he heard disappointment in his voice. He listened to his footsteps reaching the door, and though Mikleo's mind was screaming to just say _something_ about his confusion, he stayed silent. The door opened and closed quietly.

His heart felt as though it was going to burst. His hand grabbed at the duvet over him, frustration building. Just how many times would he be doing this? Calling after Sorey, only to lose his courage?

Falling for a human was likely on the list of things which he really shouldn't have done.

 

* * *

 

 

There was mild tension the following morning as they ate an English breakfast Mikleo had prepared, both sure of why they themselves were feeling tense, but less sure about the other. Their thighs still lightly brushed occasionally as they ate, trying to speak normally as though the atmosphere had no tension at all.

“Sorey, there's something we should talk about,” Mikleo started soon after their breakfast, both sat down on the sofa, a morning cooking show being ignored in the background. Heat rose to his face over the selection of his words, _especially_ when he received a raised eyebrow in response. “N-Not like that! Why – why would it –”

“You're rambling,” Sorey chuckled softly, both amused over Mikleo being flustered but also desperately needing to hear an explanation behind it.

Mikleo glared from Sorey's chuckling, inhaling sharply. “What I _mean_ is that we need to talk about me becoming your Sub Lord.” There was no denying Sorey's body tensing up from that, his expression suddenly more serious. He was avoiding Mikleo's eyes. “There, that's what I mean. Are you avoiding it, Sorey?”

“… Not exactly.” He looked up to smile at Mikleo, who could easily see that it was forced. “I just – I'm a bit worried about it. Let's just wait and see what happens when we discuss it with Lailah, okay?”

It sounded less of a question and more like a demand. Mikleo sighed, brushing his hair back. “As long as we don't continue avoiding the topic, that's fine.”

“I'm really not trying to –”

“You are, Sorey,” Mikleo interrupted quietly. “You keep changing the subject.”

“I'm sorry. I promise I won't avoid talking about it when we next see Lailah.”

Mikleo hesitated, before nodding. He knew that Sorey wasn't the type of person to throw around meaningless apologies and promises. “Okay, thank you.”

“No worries.” Sorey got up then, stretching out his arms. “I should probably go out this afternoon to make sure there's no hellions walking around.”

“How _have_ you been dealing with that on top of work?”

“Better than I expected, actually.” Sorey grinned, holding up his hand into a peace sign. “I'm a complete natural! Alisha and I aren't constantly together on our shifts, so I have times where I can sneak off if I sense malevolence. Quickly, obviously! Plus, Lailah said that if she can alter their structure, I might be able to use everyday weapons to purify small hellions.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yep! She said that the Sacred Blade is the most powerful and I should never have it far from me, but less powerful hellions are no problem.”

“That's great to hear,” Mikleo smiled. “It'd be useful for you. I _have_ been worried that you'll have to quit your job for this.”

“She said that it's a possibility that would have to happen,” Sorey admitted. “But at the moment, she said that it's fine. I can actually get transferred with work, so I'd take that opportunity to purify excess malevolence elsewhere.”

“I really hope it works out well.”

“As do I. I love my job.” Sorey looked a little sad for a moment, but his eyes soon shone brighter as he smiled. He walked over to the mirror hanging over the mantelpiece, running a hand through his hair. “It's getting a bit long. Guess I'll have to book myself in.”

“I'll do it for you, if you want,” Mikleo suggested. Sorey beamed over that suggestion.

“Really? That'd be so helpful!” he responded. He inspected Mikleo's hair, the fringe of which was a little longer since they met. “I can do yours as well if you want it trimming at all?”

“It's fine like this,” he said, Sorey caught by surprise for a moment when he noticed how Mikleo's voice and expression were a little softer.

“ _Seriously, you should consider that. Long hair would suit you, I'm sure.”_

The words resounded in Sorey's mind as well as Mikleo's. He grinned, but decided to not comment. “All right, we'll do it in the bathroom,” he suggested.

Moments later, he had carried the chair from his bedroom to the bathroom and started rummaging through the bathroom cabinet. “I'm sure I… Ah!” Mikleo watched as he pulled out a pair of sharp scissors and a comb. “Alisha gave these to me for cutting my hair.”

“I can't exactly see you being very good at it,” Mikleo commented, chuckling at Sorey pretending to be insulted. Mikleo put a towel around Sorey's shoulders before taking the comb and scissors away from him. “So do you just want a couple of inches off the ends?”

“Yeah, that's fine!”

Mikleo then got to work, silent for a few moments before he spoke again. “How long have you and Alisha known each other?” he questioned, the mentioning of her name reminding him that he knew very little about her.

“Quite a few years; we're the same age, and started training together” Sorey answered, a sense of fondness in his voice. He then chuckled. “We dated, actually.”

“Really?” Mikleo felt disappointed over that statement, but he quickly did his best to shake off the jealously, at least mostly. “How long for?”

“About a year.”

“How come you broke up? If you don't mind me asking.”

There was silence for a few moments, the scissors cutting into Sorey's hair the only sound in the room. “Well, there was more than one reason,” Sorey started, hesitant. “The biggest reason was that – well, she had a miscarriage.”

Mikleo's heart filled with pity, suddenly feeling guilty over his jealously when he could already see that Sorey went through a lot with Alisha. “I'm sorry.”

“It's okay, really,” Sorey said, trying to sound reassuring, but there was a slight shake in his voice. “The baby wasn't planned. Our protection failed, and … yeah. It wasn't all bad; I mean, it was a mistake we had at twenty when we had only been working on the force for a couple of years. The surprised happiness we felt was mostly the reason why she chose to not have an abortion.”

“Still, to have a miscarriage...”

“I know, it was a very hard time for both of us.” Mikleo wished he could see Sorey's face in order to read his expression, but the bathroom mirror wasn't low enough to do so. All he could do was to continue to cut through the messy strands of hair patiently, ready to listen. “I still think about it, sometimes. I don't think having a child at that age would have been a good idea, but at the same time, I sometimes think about what I'd be like as a dad.”

“You've got the perfect personality for it, I'd say.” Mikleo then realised what he was saying was probably not helping at all, cursing at himself mentally. “I-I mean... I'm sorry, that –”

“It's fine, I appreciate the compliment,” Sorey responded, Mikleo able to hear the smile in his voice. “But I guess it was just a sign we weren't meant to be. Honestly, I think we rushed into a relationship too quickly. We seemed to have similarities, and I thought we'd work well together. Perhaps I did love her, but I wouldn't say I had been _in_ love. There's a difference, you know? I love Alisha, but any more than a friend? I'd say I never have completely. She's not the one. Plus, it gave me time to think about my sexuality more. Which trust me, I needed.”

“Sexuality…?”

“I'm sure you could tell by now that I'm not straight,” Sorey teased, turning around to laugh at Mikleo coughing and holding his hand to his mouth, looking a little embarrassed. He turned back around as he spoke again. “But yeah, I always knew that I didn't just like girls. For me, personality is far more important than their gender.”

“So you're –”

“Pansexual, yeah. It doesn't mean I don't have preferences, though. I just don't care about it as much.”

“What _is_ your preference, then?” Mikleo blurted out the question before he could stop himself, the hand over his mouth now combing through strands to cut.

“I wouldn't say it's a gender, specifically,” Sorey pondered, a smile breaking out on his face. “But I like femininity in any gender. People smaller than me, too. It makes me feel taller and them seem cuter.”

“You don't _need_ to feel taller; you're already like, six foot or something,” Mikleo rolled his eyes, trying to not let his smile grow too much over Sorey's stated preference. Sorey noticed it in his voice, however, and his grin only grew more. He decided against continuing the specific topic, knowing that Mikleo might make a mistake with his hair if he got too flustered. “Anyway, Alisha is head over heels for Rose now. They got married three months ago.”

“What about Rose, then?” Mikleo questioned, walking around to another part of Sorey's head. “I don't really know anything about her.”

“Rose is a lawyer, and is actually a lot like the female version of me,” Sorey explained. Mikleo grinned at those words. “She's energetic, friendly, honestly just a great person to be around. She's fierce, too. I think that's why her and Alisha work so well together. Alisha, as you could probably tell when you saw her, is pretty calm and refined, tending to think things through a lot more. I think the contrast and similarities between them both go perfectly together.”

“It sounds a lot like –” Mikleo stopped himself, hands also pausing for a moment.

“Like what?”

“No-Nothing,” he mumbled, feeling a blush dust his cheeks as he continued cutting Sorey's hair.

“How's this looking, then?” Sorey questioned. “Did you shave anything off without me noticing?”

“I can assure you it's intact. Wait a minute, I'm almost done.”

Once he finished cutting the last few strands, he took the towel off Sorey's shoulders, thankful that it hadn't been cut over carpet. Sorey brushed strands of hair off his jeans as he stood up, inspecting himself in the mirror. He grinned, running a hand through it. “Ah, this looks great! Thanks!”

“No worries,” Mikleo smiled. Both he and Sorey then jumped slightly at the latter's phone suddenly ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out, raising an eyebrow.

“It's Alisha,” he announced, putting it to his ear. “Hey Alisha, what's up?”

“ _Good morning. I'm sorry Sorey, I always hate to take full weekends off away from you, but is there any chance you could come to the station? We're a little short-staffed, and we're getting quite a few calls…”_

“Yeah, that's fine!”

“ _Thank you, though I really am sorry, Sorey.”_

“No no, don't apologise. It's not your fault.”

“ _Take your time coming to the station. This is short notice, after all.”_

“All right, I'll see you soon, Alisha.”

“ _Thank you again.”_

“No problem!”

Mikleo watched Sorey end the call, feeling concerned. “Is everything all right?”

“Work's been busy, so I've been called in.” Sorey let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “ _Hopefully_ I can purify hellions at some point on my shift. If not, I'll have to go looking for them tonight.”

“Don't overwork yourself too much.”

“I won't, I won't.”

“I'll clean this up whilst you go get changed,” Mikleo said, bending down to pick up a dustpan and brush left under the cabinet.

“Ah, thanks!” Sorey exclaimed. Seeming apologetic over leaving Mikleo with the task, he walked over to the bedroom, Mikleo letting out a sigh once he had left.

If Sorey's life had been hectic before, it was nothing compared to this attempt at balancing his duties. Mikleo just had to hope that he'd be able to manage keeping this up.

 

* * *

 

 

Twenty minutes later, Sorey was driving to the station. Mikleo sat in the passenger seat, having decided on going to visit Lailah during Sorey's unexpected shift. He warned Sorey not to overwork himself again before leaving, Sorey smiling at the worry Mikleo covered up through the demanding tone he used. As a reckless individual, Sorey often had others worrying over him. It just warmed his heart a little more when it was from Mikleo.

He was immediately greeted by an apologetic Alisha when he entered the station.

“I am _so_ sorry about this.”

“Really Alisha, it's fine!”

“I just thought you might have been spending today with someone special,” she said, a knowing smile on her face. Sorey rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop a grin breaking out on his face. Alisha hadn't been told anything, not even a name, and yet she _still_ wouldn't erase her suspicions.

It turned out that Alisha definitely hadn't been exaggerated by the amount of calls they were getting. It was mostly from small nuisances, though it built up. Anxiety was building up as much as those calls; this must have been causing some amount of malevolence by now.

Their work calmed down eventually, however, giving the pair a chance to breathe.

“We should go out patrolling now,” Alisha suggested, receiving a nod in reply. However, the phone rang just as Sorey started to get out of his seat. Alisha smiled in amusement at his groan. “I'll wait for you outside, I need some air.”

“That's fine,” Sorey smiled, putting the phone to his ear. “Ladylake police station.”

“ _Is this Officer Sorey?”_ It was a girl's voice; quiet and a little cold.

“That's me.”

“ _I was hoping you could help me.”_

“What do you need?”

“ _I'm looking for someone. I think you may just know them.”_

“Can I have a physical description, please?” Sorey questioned, pressing the tip of a pen on top of a pad of paper.

“ _Of course.”_ There was a pause for a moment. _“Male, small build. Light hair, purple eyes.”_

Sorey's body froze, instantly feeling his heart rate increasing as the girl continued.

“ _Ah, and how could I forget? White wings. You know anyone like that?”_

A cold sweat broke out on Sorey's forehead, panic rising in his chest. “I-I don't know what you're talking about.”

“ _Oh really?”_ Her voice was sarcastic and patronising, Sorey able to sense a smirk. _“I must have gotten you confused with someone else,_ Shepherd _.”_

Sorey swallowed, willing his voice to sound less like he was in fear. “Who are you?” he asked lowly. “What are you after?”

“ _Did I already not state that I was looking for someone?”_ she drawled. _“Though I take it that I won't be getting any answers.”_

“I don't know who you are, but you stay away from him.” The edge of nervousness seemed to have vanished from his voice. “You'll pay otherwise, got it?”

“ _O_ _h_ _, I'm shaking in my shoes.”_ Her voice dropped. _“Just wait, Shepherd. We'll make you fall one way or another, even if that means tearing everyone you love to shreds.”_

The call ended abruptly, leaving Sorey a shaking mess. He placed the phone down, head falling into his hands. There was no way to track the number to find out who the caller was; after all, she had called from a payphone. All he could do was think over her threatening words.

In fact, it didn't feel like a threat. It had felt more like a promise.

“Sorey?” a man's voice said, followed by a hand placed on his shoulder. Sorey looked up to find Sergei expressing concern. “Are you all right? Your face is pale… Do you need to go home?”

“I think I just need some air,” Sorey smiled, though it was unbelievably forced, his voice shaking slightly. “Thank you for the worry, though.”

“No problem.”

Sorey got out of his chair without another word, hurrying through the building. His heart just couldn't calm down, teeth biting down onto his lip as the conversation replayed itself over and over in his mind.

Would Mikleo being made into Sorey's Sub Lord put him in more danger or less following this? Whilst he currently didn't have the powers of purification, he was still safe if he was with Sorey and Lailah, or in a place which was protected. If he became a Sub Lord, whilst he would be able to purify hellions, would it only bring more attention to himself? If there was anyone out there wanting to hunt him down, and he was out there purifying hellions, leaving himself out in the open…

What was the right choice?

Before he could fully pay attention to where he was, he found himself outside, shivering at a gust of wind hitting against him.

“Sorey!” Alisha called, waving to him and continuing to speak as he walked over to her. “Honestly, this weather… You wouldn't think it was –” Her words immediately halted when Sorey was close enough for her to focus on his face. “Sorey, are you okay?”

“I'm fine, I just...”

“ _Just wait, Shepherd. We'll make you fall one way or another, even if that means tearing everyone you love to shreds.”_

He brought her into his arms in an instant, startling her. “So-Sorey? What...”

“Sorry,” he murmured, keeping his desperate hold on her for a moment before letting go. “I just… I can't really talk about it.”

“Is something going on?”

“There is.”

“Why don't you tell me? All of us can help -”

“It's not really something the police force can help with.” Sorey pulled away, forcing a smile. “I'll deal with it. But thank you.” He turned around, gesturing for her to follow him to his car. She let out a small sigh as she did so, feeling a little disheartened over her friend's behaviour.

If only she wasn't in the dark, she was sure she could have tried to help.

 

* * *

 

 

Despite feeling a little disappointed over Sorey's sudden call from work, Mikleo enjoyed his time with Lailah. Training with her relaxed him, surprising considering how much energy he used. But her presence was soothing and even if he wasn't able to remember their times together, being with her reminded him that those times had existed.

His mind _was_ still distracted, however, even after he gave a brief overview of his and Sorey's visit, which Lailah's reactions had been a mixture to – happiness, sadness, the confusing guilt Mikleo often saw in her eyes. Lailah had noticed his distraction right away, but had decided to wait for a while before mentioning it whilst they were sitting down, drinking water during a break.

“Mikleo,” she began, “is there anything troubling you?”

“When isn't there?” he chuckled, but her gaze was persistent. He sighed, running his free hand through his hair. “You know how my mother told Sorey my real name?”

“Yes?”

“Sorey had already known it. Well, kind of...” He quickly explained the story about Sorey naming him 'Luzrov Rulay' the first time they had met. “And he knew 'Mikleo', too. We're both thinking that we already knew each other.” Mikleo watched Lailah's head lower, eyes fixed on her lap. “You know something, don't you?”

“I do, but –”

“Does it go against your oath to speak about it?”

“It would, if I'm not careful. But that's not completely it. I'm… I'm sorry, Mikleo, I can't talk about this.”

“Why not?” Mikleo demanded, trying to keep his voice calm but feeling too agitated to do so successfully. “Don't we have the right to know?”

“You do, it's just… Please Mikleo, I really shouldn't.”

“But –” He stopped when Lailah looked at him, taken aback by tears glistening in her guilt-ridden eyes.

“ _Please,_ Mikleo,” she begged. “Leave it for now.”

He couldn't argue against her desperate tone, instead sighing and nodding his head. “All right. But I can't say I'm happy about that response.”

“I know. I would not expect otherwise.”

Silence fell for a few minutes, a tension filling the atmosphere, before Mikleo broke it.

“There's one other thing, too. Even now I know my real name, Sorey is _still_ trying to avoid the whole Sub Lord thing.”

“He's worried, that's all,” she sighed. “I'll speak to him.”

“He _did_ say he'd stop avoiding it, but –” Mikleo stopped, realising that Sorey had only said he wouldn't avoid talking about it to Lailah, not that he'd avoid the whole thing in general.

“I understand. Listen, he'll be getting home soon. Shall we meet him there?”

Mikleo nodded, watching her take off into the air before following her himself, harsh wind forcing itself against his wings, causing them to struggle a little. They reached Sorey's apartment safely, however, Mikleo wandering over to the kitchen with a smiling Lailah behind him.

“What's on the menu then tonight, Chef?” she asked.

He turned, and after hours of not doing so, he was grinning. “Mabo curry buns.”

Lailah let out a cry of delight, clapping her hands together. “Oh Mikleo, just for me?”

“Not _just_ for you. I like them too and I want Sorey to try them. But … maybe you're the biggest reason.”

“I'm flattered,” Lailah said, resting her head in her hands as she leant on the kitchen island. “Would you like any help?”

“I'm fine, thank you.”

It turned out he was most certainly fine, for the beautiful aroma of the buns soon began to spread through the apartment, Lailah sighing dreamily. Mikleo was certain that the strong scent in the lounge would bring Sorey running, making some comment about how he knew it would taste great before remarking about Mikleo being a housewife again.

Only he didn't.

“I'm back,” came the usual call, though it wasn't as loud as usual. His pace was slightly sluggish when he walked into the kitchen, too. “It smells really good. What are you making?”

Mikleo and Lailah cast a glance at each other, both perturbed by Sorey's lack of cheerfulness and enthusiasm.

“Did something happen?” Mikleo asked. His heart beat slightly faster with nerves as Sorey smiled at him as he sat down in the middle stool. It was utterly fake.

“I'm fine.”

Mikleo gritted his teeth, his emotions a combination of frustration and concern over Sorey lying to him. Wasn't there enough trust between them to be honest by now? It _must_ have been serious if it was changing Sorey's demeanour this much.

“You're _not_ fine,” Mikleo responded, putting food down onto the plates. He carried two over and placed them in front of Sorey and Lailah, the latter flinching at the slight forcefulness. “And as you're the Shepherd, you need to share your burdens now more than ever.”

Mikleo grabbed his own plate and slid down onto the spare stool, gaze piercing through Sorey as he waited for a response. Most people's walls would crumble at his firm tone and the unblinking stare, but Sorey looked away, attitude still stubborn.

“I'll tell you if it becomes important,” he murmured. “Just leave it for now, okay?”

“It's clearly bothering you.”

“I don't want you to be involved.”

“But I'm –”

“Leave it, Mikleo.” Mikleo blinked, having not expected an aggressive tone. Sorey's face softened then, looking at him with guilt. “I'm sorry. I just – I don't want to talk about it right now, all right?”

_'What if telling you only made things worse for you?'_

Mikleo's eyes narrowed for a moment, before he let out a sigh and nodded his head. “Fine.” Just how many times today were things going to be kept from him?

_'Am I really so useless that they can't even be honest with me?'_

“Hey, this is _amazing,_ Mikleo!” Sorey exclaimed after taking a bite of the food, It managed to light up his face and eyes. “Seriously, I love it!”

“It's my favourite for a reason,” Lailah commented, seeming relieved that Sorey was clearing the fog of tension a little.

“I'm glad you like it,” Mikleo replied, tone still a little low. He took a few bites himself, regretting it immediately. He was feeling fairly nauseous.

Sorey noticed this a little while after when he and Lailah had finished, but Mikleo wasn't even halfway through. “Why aren't you eating?”

“No appetite.”

Sorey's eyebrows furrowed, opening his mouth but closing it again, unsure of what to say. Mikleo seemed incredibly on edge and Sorey was worried that anything he _did_ say would send him over.

Mikleo decided not to force himself, scraping the leftovers in the food bin before placing his plate into the dishwasher. Almost immediately after, he locked determined eyes with Lailah's.

“Right,” he started. “Can we please now talk about the Sub Lord pact?” He ignored the sharp inhale from Sorey, not tearing his gaze away from Lailah who was shifting uncomfortably.

“W-Well, I know I said I would, but –” she hesitated, not wanting to insult Mikleo any further than he already was. “I think you might be a bit too...”

“What?”

“Unsettled, to discuss something like this.”

“I'm fine. Let's go sit down.”

The statement was a command rather than a question. He walked past both Lailah and Sorey without meeting their gaze, sitting down on the sofa as the other two reluctantly followed. Sorey settled down next to Mikleo, Lailah choosing the armchair.

Lailah then tried to begin. “All right, first of all –”

“Can you start by telling us the issues you said were behind him becoming a Sub Lord?” Sorey asked.

“I was about to explain that anyway. Most of them are minor.”

“Most?”

“Sorey, just let her speak,” Mikleo said, voice softer than it had been in even just a small attempt to calm Sorey down. He sighed and nodded, looking at Lailah apologetically.

“I'm sorry.”

“No need. First of all, Mikleo hasn't been an angel for very long. As you now know, he died five years ago. Five years might _seem_ like a long time, but take into consideration our lifespan. Angels are lucky to even be considered as a guardian angel after that many years, Mikleo being a rather extraordinary case. To make a pact with a Shepherd so early on – that is beyond what angels can comprehend.”

“If that's the case, is it really safe?”

Lailah hesitated. “That's the thing, we can't know for certain. But before you think that I'm taking too big of a risk, I want you to know that Mikleo is special. He's not like other angels in this situation.”

“How am I not?” Mikleo asked. Lailah cleared her throat, avoiding the question.

“I-In a couple of ways. So because of this, he'd likely be able to take on the duty easier. After all, he was certainly fine to go into training as a guardian angel so soon after he died. Plus, as long as we don't push you past any limits your inexperience causes, we'll be fine.”

“What are the other issues?” Sorey questioned.

“Ones that usually do not apply to other angels, occurring because of Mikleo's circumstances. I'm a little concerned that sharing the burden of the Shepherd will impact your mental state too greatly – please don't look at me like that, Mikleo, I'm not trying to say you're weak.” Mikleo had looked at her with a blank expression, eyes a little cold. “I'm only trying to be realistic. Mikleo, it's only been just over 30 days since you lost your memories. During that time, you've been fighting to get them back, even though you started from nothing. You've been hurt, healed Sorey despite how much it drained you, been training under me, and then what happened yesterday… Are you not worried that all this is building up for you?”

“I feel fine, really.”

“That's just it, Mikleo,” Lailah said quietly. “You say you _feel_ fine, and that's what makes this dangerous. Take on so much and it'll only bring you down.” She turned to Sorey. “That's a little like what you've been doing, actually. You both have to be careful.”

“We will be, don't worry,” Sorey responded.

With a small, temporary smile, her eyes diverted back to Mikleo. “So I'm concerned that making this pact will only be another burden playing on your mind.”

“It sounds as though you're against me making this pact.”

“I'm not trying to stop you in any way,” she said reassuringly, voice gentle for she knew how agitated he had become. “I only want you to know all of the advantages and disadvantages, so you're not going in without expecting what could happen.”

“I… Yeah, that makes sense.” Mikleo looked a little guilty. “I'm sorry for snapping.”

“It's all right, I understand. And trust me, there _are_ advantages. You will be able to wield my power of purification, for I would be your Prime Lord. Having this power will allow you to protect both yourself and Sorey. And whilst it may mean you're sharing his burden, it would bring you closer to Sorey and allow you to help him with his duties. Whilst it may be difficult of a task, the rewards are incredibly fulfilling and satisfying.”

“Are there any other risks, though?” Sorey asked.

“There's one which is natural for all angels. The act of purification can easily be sensed by demons, should they wish to find you. It can also attract hellions. But I can assure you that there aren't many demons who take advantage of this, and the hellions aren't that large of an issue considering whilst you'd attract more, you'd be perfectly fine to purify them. In fact, this can hardly be seen as an issue at all considering there are three of us."

Mikleo nodded. “Shall we do this, then?”

“Wait.”

He turned to Sorey, eyebrows furrowing slightly. “What is it?”

“I-I don't think -”

“You're not backing out of this, are you?” Mikleo questioned, his frustration quickly returning.

“I don't remember ever agreeing to the pact in the first place,” Sorey mumbled.

“But… But isn't it what we should be doing?”

“Don't you think the risks outweigh the positives?”

“Not if it means I'm helping you. That outweighs _any_ issue.”

“Even if you could possibly die?”

“So could you!” Mikleo's voice was beginning to rise. “Sorey, I _want_ to do this. We need to gather the elements anyway, so why not let me purify malevolence with you as we do so?”

“Because I don't want you getting involved,” Sorey said quietly. “You've been through enough.”

“Sorey,” Lailah said, deciding to contribute. “Don't forget that I'm here as well to assist him through any struggles. Even with his loss of memories, I never once stopped being his tutor. I will be here every step of the way.”

“Please, Sorey,” Mikleo pleaded, voice softening again. “I want to help you.”

For a moment, Sorey's walls seemed like they were breaking from that voice. But then he shook his head, facing away from Mikleo. “I can't let you, I'm sorry.”

“Why?” Mikleo demanded, getting up off the sofa to stand in front of Sorey. Even then, Sorey didn't meet Mikleo's eyes. “I'll be fine with Lailah there! Please, just let me be of use to you!”

“I can't, Mikleo. I'm too scared to lose you.”

“Don't you think that _I'm_ scared of losing you, too?”

“But –”

“That's exactly why I want to be your Sub Lord, so you have others to carry your burden with you.” Mikleo's voice quietened, his hands clenching into fists as his gaze dropped down on the carpet beneath his feet. “I can't just sit by and do nothing.”

“You're hardly doing nothing if you're working so hard to get your memories back.”

“This isn't just about me and my memories any more!” Mikleo's voice had risen to a shout, causing Sorey to shoot his head up in surprise. “Why can't you see that? This is about you as well, now! Don't think I'm only looking out for myself!”

“Boys –” Lailah tried to intersect, rising to her feet, but she was ignored.

“I'm only trying to protect you!”

“I know, and I appreciate all that you've done!” Mikleo interjected. His voice lowered, trembling slightly. “I really do. I love how much you care for me. But Sorey, I don't want it to just be _you_ protecting _me_ all the time. I want to protect you, too. I can't do that unless you let me be your Sub Lord.”

“You already protect me through healing.”

“It's not enough, Sorey. I want to be by your side.”

“You can still –”

“On equal ground, not just by being in your shadow!” Mikleo breathed out, turning to the side, hand resting on his chest. “Just let me, Sorey. Please.”

“I...”

Sorey was screaming at himself in his mind to just say yes. It was clearly what Mikleo wanted, and for them to fight side by side would be incredible. But the words of the cold girl echoed in his mind, reminding him that Mikleo hadn't just lost his memories, he was in danger, too. Genuine danger which struck fear in Sorey's very core.

“At least for now, I can't do this,” he said, looking down. “I'm sorry.”

“Fine.” Sorey's eyes diverted back to Mikleo, surprised at how calm his voice sounded. Somehow, it unsettled Sorey more than his shouting. “I guess your burden will take his leave, then.”

“Mikleo, please,” Lailah begged. “We'll talk about this.”

He shook his head. “I just need to breathe, all right?”

Sorey wasn't going to try and stop him, understanding what Mikleo needed, but that's when he noticed tears of frustration in his eyes.

He slid to his feet, reaching for Mikleo's wrist as his back turned. “Mikleo –”

The sound of Mikleo's hand slapping Sorey's away resounded in his ears.

“Don't touch me,” he snapped, only turning his head towards Sorey slightly as he spoke. Once he was by the door, he paused, speaking again in a voice Sorey and Lailah could barely hear. “Let me know when you see me more than just a liability.”

The door then opened and slammed shut, causing the two inside to flinch, left in a horrid, tense silence. Inhaling sharply, Sorey turned to Lailah, a pleading look in his eyes.

“What should I do?” he whispered.

“This will work out, I promise. The two of you just need to speak about this more calmly.” She made her way over to the door, smiling guiltily. “I need to follow him. After all, a hellion might show up.”

Sorey nodded in understanding. “I'll be fine.”

He watched her slip through the doorway, shutting it a lot more quietly than Mikleo did. Sorey then let out a deep sigh, slumping down onto the sofa, head resting in his hands.

He could understand where Mikleo's frustrations came from. In fact, he was quite certain that he would have been the exact same, too. But how was he meant to agree to something this demanding, when there were so many dangers doing so?

With how intensely Sorey cared for Mikleo, how could he say yes to something which could lead him to devastation?

His head raised back up, hands relaxing on his lap as Mikleo's words replayed themselves in his mind.  _“Let me know when you see me more than just a liability.”_

“Don't be stupid, Mikleo,” Sorey murmured to himself. A smile had somehow reached his face. “You should know by now that I see you as something way more than that.”

They'd get through this somehow. As Lailah had stated, they just needed to speak about this more calmly, when there weren't so many other things running through their minds. It was just a matter of what would come after that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it was easy to tell that this would happen sooner or later. I'm not following the game's events by any means (I mean, the last chapter shows as such), but there are one or two things I want to include, like this Sub Lord argument. Of course, I've written both the fight and the reconciliation differently to fit in with the setting, as the last thing I want is to make this is a rewrite. Please remember that if you ever wonder why events are missing, as I'm certainly not going by most of the game's plot!
> 
> OH, also, I involved a past with Alisha as I thought it would be unrealistic for him to be 23 and not actually have had any struggles to do with romance, plus we've had very little on Sorey's life.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! Next week's is a pretty long chapter, about 2,000 words more than this one. I hope you're looking forward to it!


	12. To Move Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Sorey and Mikleo separate themselves to think over the situation, they rejoin to reconcile after their fight. Back together, their lives move forward and progress steadily, the strong emotions they feel for one and another starting to reach the point of no return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO glad you guys enjoyed the Sub Lord fight! I was so happy to hear that it was intense and a couple even said about it being deeper than the canon fight, which is what I was hoping for.
> 
> There is a time skip in this chapter, but I can assure you that it isn't a case of 'ONE MONTH LATER' and there is actually a description of the skipped period, haha! I've been liking the pace, but I really need to start picking it up more.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mikleo's legs took him up the stairs in the apartment block, feeling as though they were carrying a mass much greater than his petite stature. His guilt was deepening with each step up. But he couldn't turn back at this moment in time. He was worried that if he did, it would only make matters worse.

A hand reached for a door at the top of the stairs, Mikleo breathing out in relief when he found that it wasn't locked. He pushed down the handle, immediately greeted by a draft of cold air, far too cold for a night in spring. His body shivered before he stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air.

It was raining, but not extremely so. His steps across the flat rooftop brought him to the railing which encased him inside the area, arms resting on top of it as he stared out at the city of Ladylake. Even in predominating darkness and descending rain, the city still managed to look beautiful, the lights of buildings and lamp posts illuminating the night.

He rose his head up, closing his eyes as water fell on his face, dripping from long eyelashes and trickling down his cheeks. It was wonderfully soothing.

It hadn't been his intention at all to argue with Sorey like he did. Apparently, angels could lose control of their emotions just as much as humans could.

Mikleo had simply been too overwhelmed to not speak calmly in response to Sorey's protests against them forming a pact, his mind too filled with recent events to keep his composure. Naturally, there were always burdens troubling him somewhere in his mind, so extra contributions only made this worse. The traumatic experience with his mother the day before, which still struck despair in his heart when he thought about it; how both Sorey and Lailah had been keeping something from him this day, despite how much he desperately wanted to help them both; the confusing, overpowering emotions he felt towards Sorey –

Though now he thought about it, perhaps they weren't confusing at all. At first, he thought feeling such deep emotions for a man he hadn't known for long was silly, meaning no more than a simple high school crush. But then if they _had_ met before, would that make his feelings more reliable?

 _'Would it really matter anyway?'_ a voice spoke inside his head. _'Even if you hadn't met before, would your bond still be the same?'_

“Mikleo?” a gentle voice called from behind him, startling him out of his thoughts. He turned around, locking eyes with Lailah, who was standing in the open doorway. “You're getting wet.”

“It's fine, it calms me,” Mikleo responded. Lailah smiled, stepping outside with him.

“I feel as though it's natural for me to not be the same, what with me being a fire guardian. Though I can see why it does.” A moment later, she was stood next to him. Mikleo turned back around to his original position, Lailah's hands resting lightly on the metal in front of them as she followed his gaze at the city. “It's beautiful, isn't it?”

“Very much so.”

“I've always been incredibly grateful that the place I was given to watch over was somewhere like this,” she continued. “You would think that I would have gotten tiresome of being in the same place for centuries. I _have_ had moments where another guardian angel would watch over here so I could travel elsewhere. But it's been wonderful watching its development. I adore how its become a part of today's world, yet still has an air of how it used to be.” She turned to Mikleo, smiling as she met his gaze. “And of course, I've enjoyed watching your development, too. Not to mention Sorey's.”

“I knew you would bring him up sooner or later,” he sighed, facing the city again.

“Of course. When do you plan on returning to him?”

“Soon. I just needed to clear my head.” He leaned more onto the railing, head resting on his arms. “I've got a lot on my mind at the moment.”

“It is only natural that you do. You've been through a lot.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Even with that, I still feel guilty over how I reacted.”

“Though I would have rather that fight not happen at all, I can see why you reacted in the manner you did. Sorey does, too.”

“I hope so.”

“He really does, Mikleo,” Lailah said reassuringly. “He understands you just as much as you understand yourself. His own reasons simply stood in the way of an agreement between the two of you.”

“He was hiding something, wasn't he?” Mikleo questioned, straightening up. “Something must have happened in work.”

“I believe so. It would be best to try and get him to speak about that, in case it is of importance.”

“I guess that's one of the reasons I got so frustrated. I want him to be honest with me, like I have been with him. After you didn't...”

His words drifted off, deciding that mentioning Lailah's secrecy was a mistake, but she still looked at him, the guilt which was frequently there returning.

“I really am sorry about that. I must take some of the blame for being a contribution to your frustrations.”

“No, _I'm_ sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up again.”

Silence fell for a few moments, the only sounds in their ears being the dropping rain against the rooftop and gusts of wind. Mikleo's mind had began to wander during this silence, brought back not by words, but by one of his hands being lifted into Lailah's, their eyes locking.

“Despite how I have been hiding things from you, both from being forced to and admittedly by choice, there _are_ still things I can certify for you,” she said. “That includes the height of importance your role is in Sorey's life.”

“But I can't play that role if I'm not –”

“I'm not talking about the Sub Lord pact, Mikleo,” she interrupted gently. “I'm talking about something much more than that. You play an unbelievably important role in his life simply by existing.”

“But how...” His words strayed, unsure exactly of what to say.

“Can't you feel something between you both?” Violet eyes widened at those words, having not expected her to say them. After all, the most she had said regarding possible feelings between them was mere teasing. “Surely you've noticed by now?”

“I… Yeah, I have.” A huge weight seemed to be lifted off from his shoulders by simply stating those words, because finally, he had admitted aloud that he had feelings for Sorey. Before, it had simply been a battle in his mind, trying to fight the possibility away in fear.

He still felt fear. In fact, the height of it was so great that it seemed to tower over him, leaving him trembling in its shadow. But there was still relief from admitting it to not just himself, but to someone he adored, too.

Lailah only smiled for a moment, releasing Mikleo's hand slowly. “Then let's go back soon and discuss this properly.”

“Can I just stay here for a little bit longer? I want to make sure I'm fine.”

Lailah nodded, “Of course, take as long as you need. We can wait until tomorrow if it would be easier on you.”

Mikleo thought over this. “I don't know. Would that make it worse?”

“It is up to you to decide on that.”

“Maybe… Maybe it'll help ease the tension. But I don't want him to have a distraction in work tomorrow. I don't know...”

“I'll support you either way.”

There was silence for a few minutes before Mikleo spoke again.

“I think it'll be best if we left it until then. We're both fairly agitated right now, after all.”

“I will explain it to him. Shall we get going, then?”

Mikleo nodded, following the woman out of the rain. He shut the door behind them, greeted by a warm flame in Lailah's hand to ease the worst of their wetness. It brought a smile to his face – the pounding of his heart which had been caused by Lailah questioning his feelings for Sorey was beginning to relax. She saw this in his face and smiled tenderly.

“You will be okay, Mikleo,” she said, her kind, bright eyes highlighted with yellow from the flame. “Everything will work out.”

Somehow, from those eyes and her gentle smile, he could believe her.

He waited around the corner as Lailah knocked on Sorey's door, unable to bring himself to see Sorey right now. He was still questioning whether this was a good idea, but at the same time, he knew it might have helped stop them fighting again.

“Lailah?” he heard Sorey's voice say. His heart sank a bit at the disappointment he could hear.

“Don't worry, Mikleo is calmer now,” she responded. “But he thinks it would be best to stay with me tonight, just so you can both calm down properly. We don't want you both to fight again, after all.”

“I understand. I really hope he's okay, though.” There was a pause. “Can you tell him I'm sorry? I never wanted to fight with him.”

“Of course I will.” Whilst Mikleo couldn't see her face, he could still hear her smile. “Will you be all right on your own?”

“Yeah, I'll be fine. I could do with some time to think.”

“Then I'll be seeing you soon, Sorey.”

The door closed softly, and moments later, Lailah was smiling at Mikleo.

“You heard that he was sorry, didn't you?”

“I did.”

He also heard the utter sincerity in Sorey's voice. That alone brought him the comforting thought that everything would sort itself out.

 

* * *

 

 

The following day at work for Sorey was fairly tiring. Whilst it wasn't particularly busy and he certainly didn't have an incident as serious as the phone call from the previous day, he hadn't slept much at all following his and Mikleo's fight.

Alisha was able to notice this, and after his confession of something going on with him yesterday, her worry was only increasing. She could only be glad that they were out patrolling, which often brought a lot of distraction. She just wished that he would speak to her. After all they had been through together, she wanted to be there for him no matter what. But she also understood that there were just some things you couldn't talk about, and this was clearly one of those things.

All she could do was stand by him, offering her ear if needed.

Time dragged until lunch, where they each bought a sandwich to sit outside with. Sorey had been unusually silent the whole morning, but Alisha was at least relieved that his expression wasn't pained at all. He seemed to be thinking over something constantly.

And she was right in this guess – since the start of his day, he had been considering the Sub Lord pact now his mind was calmer. He was still incredibly conflicted, even after Mikleo's desperate pleas. He came to the conclusion that perhaps calmer discussion would be best for him, perhaps speaking to Lailah on her own. Maybe she would enlighten him more about Mikleo's nature with the contract.

During their lunch, which was silent, a sudden cheerful voice almost caused him to drop it.

“Well, if it isn't the partners in crime!”

Sorey felt his heart grow warmer at the sight of Rose in front of them, grinning with her hands on her hips, a plastic bag held in one of them.

“Rose, what a lovely surprise!" Alisha cried, jumping up and placing a kiss on Rose's lips.

“Still got it,” she grinned at Sorey after the kiss, winking.

“What are you doing here?”

“You've been busy, so I picked up your toiletries for you!” Rose exclaimed, holding up the bag.

“Oh, thank you,” Alisha smiled gratefully. “That's very helpful.”

“I can't think of a better way to spend my day off than helping my sweetheart!” Rose then turned to Sorey and, in a rather intrusive way, placed her hands back on her hips and leaned forward to him.

“And what's with you, eh?”

“Huh?” he blinked, having not expected Rose to notice. “I'm fine –”

“ _Sure_ you are.” She slumped down next to him, placing the bag down by her feet and resting her leg on the other. Her elbow rested on top of it, head in her hand. “Spill.”

“Rose, he's not said anything to me,” Alisha intervened. “I wouldn't pester him...”

“I'm not asking for details! Just a basis on what's bothering him, that's all.” Rose's voice grew softer. “What's up?”

Sorey hesitated. Rose certainly had a more convincing way of getting someone to talk than Alisha, considering she had no concept of personal space. But if anything, it could be a good thing for someone like Sorey, who often bottled things up.

“I had an argument with someone last night,” he said slowly, trying to put it across in a vague way. “They want to do something for me which could put them at risk, but at the same time, could help us both. I wouldn't let them, and they got angry at me because they just want to help.”

“Right. I don't really get it, but there's something I _do_ understand. If this person really wants to help you even if it puts them in danger, it clearly means that what they are trying to do for you is important to them. Why else would they be so bothered by you saying no? Try to put yourself in their shoes and see how much whatever this thing means to them.”

Sorey thought over her words carefully. She was right. It was all something he could somewhat see himself, but it had been blurred from his own fear. Hearing the same kind of thing from someone else had made his vision much clearer.

“Thank you, Rose,” he smiled. “I'll think over that.”

“No worries, I'm always here to help!”

“As always, you're able to be much more convincing than I am,” Alisha chuckled, though there was a tiny hint of sadness in her voice. “We should finish off our food and get going, Sorey.”

“Ah, I won't keep you any longer!” Rose planted a kiss on Alisha's cheek, waving as she walked away. “See you later, love, and good luck, Sorey!”

Sorey and Alisha bid their farewells, hurrying to finish their lunch. As they got up from the bench, however, Sorey grabbed onto Alisha's arm for a moment.

“I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you first,” he apologised. “I wanted to, really. I just didn't know how. Rose kind of has that way of getting anything out of you.”

Alisha managed to smile, knowing her wife's attitude perfectly well. “You do have a point there.”

“I'll try my best to be as open as possible to you as well.”

“Thank you,” she responded, smiling because that is all she could wish for after all of these years. 

 

* * *

 

 

Mikleo was hesitant outside of Sorey's door later that day. His anxieties had been running wild all day, his attempts to train with Lailah useless. Would Sorey be angry? Mikleo had yet to see that properly, unsure if a furious side even existed in a man so pure. But Mikleo _had_ snapped continuously. Even if he had excuses for doing so, it still didn't erase what he did.

“I would like to speak to him first,” Lailah said whilst Mikleo was plucking up his courage. “After all, the reason you argued was down to both of you. You're incredibly stubborn,” she ignored his muttered _“Am not”_ and small pout, “and Sorey is being overly protective. You both need to be calmed completely.”

Mikleo nodded. He stepped aside so Lailah could enter first, feeling braver from her doing so. Her eyes landed on Sorey, who was in the process of getting a pair of trainers on.

“Oh, hey,” he greeted. “I was just going to go and see if there were any hellions whilst...”

His words drifted off when Mikleo entered. Sorey tried to meet his eyes, but he swallowed and looked away, too ashamed to make eye contact.

“May I speak to you, Sorey?” Lailah asked, bringing Sorey's attention to herself. He nodded, casting another glance at Mikleo, who was still avoiding his gaze.

“I'll go – uh, make tea or something.”

Looking at neither of them, he hurried past to the kitchen, the sound of a boiling kettle able to be heard moments later. Lailah smiled reassuringly at Sorey, who was looking pained.

“Don't worry, he's not being like that because of anger,” she said. “He feels guilty about what happened.”

“I do too,” Sorey said quietly. Lailah took his hand comfortingly, relaxing from her thumb rubbing over the back of it.

“Let's speak in the bedroom.”

She led him there, only releasing her warming touch on him once they were inside with the door closed. She took a seat on the chair, watching Sorey as he glanced at the bed, questioning whether or not he should sit, before deciding against it due to restlessness.

“I didn't mean to make Mikleo feel useless or anything like that,” he ended up blurting out. “I swear I didn't.”

“I know that,” she responded calmly. “You're protective, that's all.”

“I just… He's been through so much, and I didn't want me being the Shepherd to add to that.” He now chose to sit down on the bed, letting out a sigh.

“That is more than understandable. But please consider exactly _why_ Mikleo wants to be your Sub Lord.”

Sorey looked thoughtful. “Well, I know he wants to protect me, too.”

“And that is normal for several reasons.” She was silent for a moment, as though she was considering if she should say her following words. “Sorey – have you ever considered why Mikleo was training to be a guardian angel here in Ladylake?”

“Because he wanted to be back here?”

She shook her head. “That is merely something which he was happy about upon returning here.”

“Uh, to train with you?”

“That is only by circumstance.” She smiled, a little amused. “Oh Sorey, you _are_ oblivious sometimes.”

“Hey, that's unfair!” He huffed when she let out a small giggle. “And it's not funny!”

“Mikleo was training to be _your_ guardian angel, Sorey. I had been watching over you for a long time, seeing how much your resonance grew. We were waiting for the right time to give you an additional guardian angel, aware that it might just be you who could be the Shepherd. That's why Mikleo became one so early. He was perfect for that role.”

“Now you mention it, it does make sense.” Sorey smiled softly, heart warm. Though after a moment, he looked puzzled. “But why exactly _was_ he seen as perfect for it?”

“That is something which I don't want to say myself. You'll understand that in time. So when you take into consideration that Mikleo had been brought here to watch over you, I'm sure you can understand why his mind is so focused on being your Sub Lord. It means he's desperate to protect you, much like it's in your nature to protect him.”

“I… I think I get it more, now.” Sorey sighed, looking guilty. “I really should have listened to him more. I was too focused on him getting hurt than to think about how badly he wanted this.”

“It's quite understandable. After all...” Lailah paused for a moment. “Well, I'm sure you've noticed something by now, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“How much Mikleo means to you.”

“I – yeah, I've noticed. But...”

“Perhaps that you even love him.”

Sorey stared at her with wide eyes. “I-I don't –” But he couldn't finish that sentence. It was like his heart was stopping him. He swallowed. “It's been such a short time.”

“Not in total.” Her eyes looked unbelievably sad, but she didn't expand on her words. Sorey decided against prying, knowing that she couldn't talk about everything. She cleared her throat, rising up gracefully off the chair. “We shouldn't keep Mikleo waiting any longer.”

Sorey agreed, following her footsteps out of the room to find Mikleo sitting in the lounge. Two mugs sat on the coffee table whilst the third was held lightly in his hand. His composure looked calm with one leg resting over the other, but at a closer look, it seemed to be twitching restlessly.

“Hey,” Sorey said softly. The fact that Mikleo was most definitely not calm was made clear when the hand holding the mug jolted slightly, causing a little of the liquid to spill out of it. “Sorry!”

“No, it's fine, I was just lost in my thoughts.” Mikleo met Sorey's gaze for a moment before he looked down at his hands with a small cough. His eyes didn't shift when Sorey slid onto the sofa next to him. Lailah, apparently wanting to give them privacy, had picked up one of the mugs and was now looking out of the window, as though something particularly interesting was happening outside.

“I'm sorry,” they ended up saying simultaneously a few moments later. Mikleo's head rose from that, both him and Sorey letting out a soft chuckle.

“I'm the one who needs to be apologising,” Mikleo said. “I shouldn't have yelled at you.”

“You had every right to – I could see why you were so frustrated.”

“Still, to snap at you like that...”

“Hey, it's fine, really.”

“I understand where you were coming from, too,” Mikleo continued. “I know you just want to protect me. And really, I do appreciate that. I just have an overwhelming desire to protect you as well. Maybe it's after everything you've done for me.”

“There's more to it than that,” Sorey said softly, making Mikleo's head tilt silently in curiosity. Sorey glanced over at Lailah, who smiled as a motion for him to continue. “Lailah just told me that you were training to be my guardian angel. That's why you returned to Earth.”

Mikleo's eyes widened, though they were quick to return to their normal size as a smile grew on his face. “I thought that might have been the case.”

“They said you were perfect for it, too. If that's the case, then… I think it makes complete sense for you to want to make this pact with me.”

“So will you...”

Sorey nodded, though his eyebrows furrowed. “There's something I need to tell you both first, though. I shouldn't have kept it from you in the first place.”

“What is it?” Mikleo questioned, concern quickly rising. Lailah was now walking over, settling down into the armchair to listen.

“I got a phone call when I was in work yesterday,” Sorey began, his voice a little hesitant. “They said they were looking for someone, before describing you perfectly.”

“M-Me?” Mikleo's eyes had widened again, not quite out of fear, but certainly out of shock. Sorey felt horrid for nodding despite it being the truth.

“She also said something about tearing those I love to shreds if it meant that she'd make me fall.” He shuddered from those words, turning to Lailah. “What does she mean by that? If it's death, why kill others first?”

“She most likely means to turn you evil,” Lailah explained. “It's happened before to the – I-I mean, to other Shepherds. By murdering those around you, she would be hoping to bring you to the dark side. A malevolent Shepherd, after all, is highly dangerous. We would resort to killing them if we have to.” Lailah remained silent for a moment, face pained as she swallowed. “So she was likely a demon. As for you, Mikleo, she has likely seen you already if she knows where Sorey works. Saying she was looking for you was likely to provoke Sorey and make her presence known.”

“But why would she want to make herself known?” Mikleo asked. “Surely keeping in the dark would give her a better chance of hurting those who Sorey loves?”

“That's a good point, but malevolence isn't caused by just sins and destructive emotions. Fear is an emotion as negative as any other, so can build just as much malevolence, too.” She looked at Sorey seriously, the voice which spoke again sounding like it was pleading. “I know it is difficult, but please try not to let fear take over you, Sorey. That is exactly what she wants and as long as you stay calm, you will remain above her.”

“Thank you for the advice, Lailah.”

“We better watch our backs though, just in case she plans anything,” said Mikleo. Lailah nodded.

“Of course. I've also been sensing the presence of another angel as of late – hopefully if we find them, we can ask them to keep an eye out.”

“Really?” Mikleo responded. He sounded a little disappointed when he spoke again. “Why can't I sense them myself?”

“You will, trust me,” Lailah answered reassuringly. “You've only been around one other angel since you lost your memories, so you can't quite understand how our presence is sensed. You will in time.”

He sighed. “That's a relief.”

“So, Sorey,” Lailah continued. “You have decided to go through with the pact after all?”

“I have,” Sorey nodded. “I know there's risks, and they still worry me a lot. But… Well, after I know more about his reason for being here, it only makes sense to make it.”

Feeling emotional over those words, Mikleo smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Sorey.”

“When would you like to make it?”

“I'm fine to now,” Sorey responded, shifting his gaze from Lailah back to Mikleo. “As long as you want to.”

Mikleo seemed a little surprised. “But – well, I'm fine with it, it just seems a bit sudden.”

“Honestly, I was warming to the idea a little bit more at one point, as I knew you being able to purify malevolence would probably outweigh any risks. But the issue with that girl happened, and … well, I guess I just freaked out.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “I should have controlled my emotions better.”

“It's fine, Sorey. I'm touched that you care for me so much.” It was clear that Mikleo didn't just say this to make Sorey feel any better – there was deep emotion in that voice.

“Of course I do.”

“Then, Mikleo,” Lailah then broke a brief silence with, “give me your hand.”

Sorey stepped back as a beautiful blue light shone around them from their touch, eyes wide in astonishment.

“O ye born of the sacred currents of peace,” she began. “Here let our pact be forged, that my unquavering incandescence may be as thy purification! Shouldst thou accept this burden, recite aloud your...” She stopped as Mikleo's expression grew both confused and panicked over the sound of reciting anything. “Um… Etcetera!”

“ _Etcetera?!”_

Despite her questionable end, the light around them burst, casting shards around them before they obscured into nothing. A strange yet welcoming sensation filled their chests, the sign that an invisible bond had connected him to them both.

“Is that it?” Mikleo questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes!”

“But you didn't even finish properly! And I thought you needed my true name?”

“Ah, that only strengthens the pact, plus...”

“Plus?” Sorey questioned.

“There is something I haven't told you yet, that can occur between a human with high resonance and angels. I avoided it as it's highly risky.”

“It's not an extra thing to put Mikleo in danger, is it?”

Lailah shook her head quickly. “Of course not, unless you attempted it. I'm talking about Armatization.”

“Armatization?” Mikleo questioned quietly. “That rings a bell.”

“What is it?”

“It is when a human and angel fuse together to wield more power than either can use alone,” Lailah explained. “To use it, the angel's true name must be spoken. It sounds simple if it's merely just a name, but Armatization hasn't been used for a long time.”

“How come, if it sounds simple?” Sorey asked.

“To Armatize with an angel, a creature of death, it means that you yourself must cross that line between life and death. To Armatize means risking your own life force in order to throw yourself in the midst of them both.”

“I guess we better not try it, then.” He both sounded and looked highly disappointed. “But would there _ever_ be a chance for it to happen?”

“I would advise against it, but...” She paused, looking between them both before smiling. “Well, maybe it will be possible.”

“One thing at a time,” Mikleo said.

“True. I mean, you can purify now! This is awesome! I really shouldn't have –” His words were cut off by sudden arms around his neck. “Mi-Mikleo?”

“Thank you,” Mikleo said softly into his shoulder. “I feel much better now that I know I have the power to protect you as well.”

“Hey, it's fine, really!” Despite his words, he returned the embrace, the two simply standing for a few moments before pulling apart. Mikleo cleared his throat, grinning once his hand was removed from his mouth.

“So when are we going to go kick the ass of those hellions?”

 

* * *

 

 

To stand side by side was a feeling so great that neither could have hardly anticipated it.

Previously, they had merely fought, before Sorey and Lailah finished their purification. Now Mikleo could do the same, and with the learning of the artes he could perform, he was turning out stronger than ever. Even his healing magic, which he did have to use on the other two from time to time, seemed to be increasing.

Now that the three were together, they worked hard to eradicate the excess malevolence that existed down-town. Whilst they did not want to erase all of it in order to maintain the balance of good and evil, Lailah had explained that hellions were a sign it needed to be reduced – after all, whilst angels and demons were natural creatures which were equally needed for the world, hellions and devils weren't required for it to keep turning.

Sorey had started becoming just as accustomed to the compression of malevolence as Lailah and Mikleo, able to face the more malevolent parts of the city just as strongly. In these much more chilling locations, the three were faced with larger hellions than Sorey had been facing elsewhere, but as the weeks passed, Sorey and Mikleo were powerful enough to easily purify them. With Lailah's already existing strength alongside them, the hellions stood no chance.

The first time they had came across hellions in the form of hounds, there had been a moment where Mikleo's body had reacted on its own. He froze, images of the excruciating injuries which had been inflicted on him flashing through his mind, his own screams of pain resounding in his ears. However, Sorey's squeeze of his arm and a few well chosen words got through to him in an instant.

“ _You're stronger now,”_ he had said. _“These can't touch you any more.”_

Sorey could have possibly just said a mere two words and it would have grounded Mikleo, for that voice had certainly gained the power to break through his worries easily. But he was still incredibly grateful those words had been spoken.

It had been a month since the day that both had spoken of their feelings to Lailah. Somehow, it seemed like nothing yet everything had changed all at once from them admitting how they felt.

But admitting their feelings could do nothing. Whilst both were bursting for something more between them, to simply feel the warmth of the other's lips, they stayed silent, burying their feelings inside. It wasn't as though they were afraid that the other wouldn't feel the same way. In fact, they both knew deep down how the other must have felt. What they _were_ afraid of was how impossible anything between them could be.

Yes, Mikleo was his Sub Lord. Yes, he had supposed to be his guardian angel. But what of that? Mikleo was still deceased, destined to be stuck in this life for centuries. Sorey's life was tiny in comparison. How could they possibly embrace a love for each other when that would forever be plaguing their minds?

Lailah knew of this, watching painfully as they often stared into each other's eyes before looking away with a sigh. Should she tell them what Mikleo had been begging her for, and what Sorey clearly wanted to know as well? Was it really right to keep such intense secrets from them, even if there was the possibility of accidentally bringing in the one subject which would break her oath?

Time after time again over this month, she asked herself this. If the three hadn't been so preoccupied with returning the city to a peaceful state, she was certain that she would have blurted something out eventually. She was also concerned about the angel she had sensed, for they had yet to have made themselves known.

Despite her inner conflict, she was still more at peace than she had been for a long time. Ladylake was noticeably blessed these days, the weather warmer, the city calmer. Even the dreaded down-town of the city was in a much more relaxed state than previously. This was in the newspapers, on the news – Ladylake was turning out to be one of the best places to be in the country. Tourists were flooding in, less houses available to buy due to new residents. It was an incredible sight, and for Sorey to know that it was his rising of the Shepherd which had brought such a drastic change in a month, he felt incredibly proud.

It turned out as well that his work as a police officer was actually going hand in hand with his duties as the Shepherd, especially now Lailah had been able to fuse his ordinary equipment to purify hellions with. As crime naturally rose malevolence, his work brought him exactly where he needed to be. Alisha being with him didn't always make things more difficult, either – if Sorey couldn't purify something whilst she was there, he could always rely on Lailah and Mikleo.

He had been quick to realise that he shouldn't have been hesitant about the Sub Lord pact. It brought greater things than he would have imagined, from something as incredible as watching Mikleo's power to smaller things like Sorey being able to relax away from work sometimes, able to enjoy a lovely dinner with Alisha and Rose. It had improved everything for the better, both in his everyday life and his life as a Shepherd. Even at his workplace, there was more joy. The station was a lot less tense now that they had less to worry about.

It was this that made Sorey decide that a lateral transfer would be a good idea to go through with now. He suggested it to Lailah and Mikleo first, saying that now Ladylake was purer, he should go elsewhere to ease malevolence. Both angels agreed that this idea was for the best, Lailah stating that they should go as soon as she was able to seek out an angel to temporarily take her place. As a police officer with a great amount of training and a good reputation, requesting a transfer was barely a concern at all. Extra help was needed more elsewhere.

Even with his hurting emotions over Mikleo, he was still unbelievably joyful about where this was heading. It seemed as though things were finally beginning to work in their favour.

 

* * *

 

 

Following their hard work for the city was a day off for Sorey and Mikleo, which both appreciated greatly. Whilst they hadn't had a day of boredom in regards to their duties, it was still lovely to not worry about the hassle of work or purifying hellions.

They wanted Lailah to join them, but she had other matters to attend to in regards to her seeking another angel. Her concern was beginning to vanish, explaining to Sorey and Mikleo that angels often didn't leave their place of guardianship, not to mention that no angel would feel the need to come to a place with little to purify.

And so, Sorey and Mikleo were left alone. Whilst they felt guilty, neither particularly minded.

Mikleo wondered if they were simply just going to wander around Ladylake and take in its beauty, but apparently, Sorey had other ideas.

“Where are we going?” Mikleo questioned as they sat in Sorey's car, driving towards the exit of Ladylake.

“That's a surprise!”

Mikleo rolled his eyes. “You can act like such a child sometimes.”

“Hey, that's mean. Trust me, it's much better for you to see when we get there!”

“Fine, I'll trust you.” Mikleo opened the car window, closing his eyes as fresh air hit his face. It was now May, so whilst the weather was warm, it wasn't stifling and was utterly comfortable. “How long until we get there?” he added.

“About half an hour or so.”

Mikleo nodded in response, not minding the journey's length due to the weather. He _did_ wish he could feel the air on his wings more, though. When he briefly glanced over, Sorey noticed this from them twitching.

“You could always sit on top of the car,” he suggested with a grin.

“I'm not doing that. What if I fell off?”

“Then bye, Mikleo.”

“Glad to know you're so concerned for my safety.”

Sorey laughed. “I'm only teasing.”

Which he was constantly doing nowadays, Mikleo noticed.

With the radio playing quietly and wonderful scenery to look at, the journey passed fairly quickly. It was about 25 minutes into it when Sorey held up a scarf in his hand.

Mikleo stared. “It's May. I don't think I need that.”

“Cover your eyes,” he said.

The stare continued. “I didn't know you were kinky.”

Sorey laughed. “It's not like that. Come on, I don't want you to see where we are until we get there!”

Mikleo let out a sigh, grabbing the scarf from Sorey's hand and tying it around his head to obscure his vision. “You're _definitely_ a child.”

“Shut up!”

“I hope we're going somewhere quiet, you know,” Mikleo said. “Otherwise this trip is going to be awkward in broad daylight.”

“Don't worry, I've chosen a quiet place. The most you get is a person and dog here and there.”

Mikleo, despite being blindfolded, turned his head to Sorey quickly, who could imagine wide eyes perfectly. “I'm not going if there's dogs.”

“Oh come on, we're already nearly there!”

“As long we're far away from them.”

“We will be. I'm not taking you to kennels or something.”

“If you did, I wouldn't be the only one who is an angel.”

Soon enough, the car came to a stop. Sorey was _still_ insisting on Mikleo not removing his blindfold until they were right at their location.

“You do realise how hard it is to walk when you can't see?” Mikleo questioned, gripping tightly onto Sorey's arm.

“It's just a little bit further. We'll be there in a minute.” He looked down with a snort when Mikleo stumbled. “You're hopeless.”

“I _can't see.”_

“Just put your left foot forward, then your right...”

“You are seriously seeking death, aren't you?”

Sorey merely chuckled. The hold on his arm grew even tighter as they walked up a slope, though Mikleo seemed to be getting the hand of not stumbling on what sometimes seemed like nothing at all. Moments later, they had come to a stop.

“Here we are!” Sorey announced, bouncing behind Mikleo to untie the knot at the back of his head. “And … open!”

Mikleo's eyes blinked from the sudden brightness of sun hitting them, having to do so again a few times to focus them. But once they _were_ focused, they widened in awe, lips letting out a small gasp.

Below them in the distance laid stretches of sand which seemed to go on for miles, beautifully pale and highlighted by the sun. An ocean bright from the clear blue sky above it washed against the shore in gentle waves. Now that Mikleo could see it, he could faintly hear its welcoming sound, as well as the distant cry of a seagull soaring through the air.

“Wow,” was all he could say.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Sorey grinned. He was looking at Mikleo, not receiving a gaze back, but he didn't mind. It felt amazing to simply see the look of awe on his face. “This is the quietest beach in Hyland. I've come here a few times with Alisha and Rose.”

“It really is beautiful.” Mikleo turned to Sorey, a huge smile on his face. His eyes shone with excitement. “Can we go closer?”

“Do you need to ask?”

The smile only seemed to grow. With a bounce in his step, pleasantly unusual compared to his typical calm way of walking, he led the way down the slope towards the beach, Sorey gladly following behind. Mikleo stopped by the pebbles separating the sand from grassland, crouching down to inspect them.

“Is this what they mean by stereotypes?” Sorey asked with amusement, looking down at Mikleo as he picked up a perfectly shaped pebble, gleaming auburn. “I mean, you're a water guardian enthralled with the beach.”

“I've always loved beaches,” Mikleo said, lifting up the pebble. It shone brightly as it caught the sun. “My mum took me to them a lot. Not this one, though. I would have recognised it otherwise.”

Mikleo spoke those words so casually, yet it brought Sorey joy to hear them. Whilst Mikleo was still straining to remember anything from being an angel, his old life had become clearer than either of them would have hoped.

They soon continued walking, feet stepping into the warm sand and towards the sea further down. Mikleo's smile hadn't faded once, eyes often closing from the sun's rays on his face. Seeing this made Sorey swallow as his heart jumped, eyes blinded with adoration. Doing this was definitely the best idea he could have thought of for their time together.

“Wait a second,” Mikleo suddenly stated, startling Sorey slightly.

“What is it?”

“Look.” Mikleo sank down onto his knees, fingers hovering over a starfish.

“Poor thing,” Sorey said sadly. It didn't appear to be moving.

But one of Mikleo's fingers gently touched the creature. He smiled. “No, it's alive.”

“You can tell just from _that?”_

“Well, I'm a creature of death, aren't I? I can tell if something has died or not.” He scooped the starfish into his palms, steadily rising to his feet. “I'll be back in a minute.”

Sorey watched with confusion as Mikleo wings spread and took him into the air – after all, was it really worth flying to the water when it was close? But as Sorey began walking forward, he saw what Mikleo was doing. He had flown over to a slightly deeper part of the water, so the starfish didn't immediately end up being washed ashore again.

The sight was incredible, leaving Sorey paralysed on the spot for a moment. He could see how Mikleo's feet brushed lightly against the water as his wings kept him steady, bending down to place the starfish into the water, lowering down onto the sandy bank below. Mikleo stretched back up for a moment, but didn't move straight away. He seemed at home with the water beneath him, wings blowing gently in the breeze.

Whilst Mikleo being invisible often brought Sorey frustration, it was times like these where he allowed himself to be selfish. He felt blessed that this astounding display was for his eyes only.

“Sorry about that,” Mikleo said as he flew back to Sorey's side, who was now standing by the edge of the seawater. “I got a bit caught up in myself.”

“It's fine,” Sorey smiled, continuing before he could stop himself. “You looked beautiful.”

He slipped up a lot like this, but Mikleo didn't seem quite used to those kind of compliments yet. He covered a smile with the back of his hand as his eyes looked away, hoping it would cover his tinted cheeks, too.

For a while, they both walked sideways across the beach, watching the water's waves. They were silent, but happy to be as such. Both were grateful over how scarce the area was, only ever seeing the odd person and dog in the distance, just as Sorey had said.

Before long, they were making their way back up the beach, though they took a moment to sit down on the grass laid next to it, sipping water as they stared out onto it.

“I've missed coming here,” Sorey said. “It's been too long.”

“We'll have to come here again,” Mikleo responded. He paused for a moment, before meeting Sorey's eyes. “Thank you for this, Sorey. I've really enjoyed being here with you.”

“No need to thank me, I've enjoyed it just as much… Well, if that's possible with how excited you were.”

Mikleo smiled in amusement, before he did something Sorey hadn't quite expected. He shuffled over, placing a hand gently on Sorey's knee as he leaned up to softly brush his lips against his cheek. Sorey's heart seemed to stop at the warmth it brought, hand rising to it as Mikleo backed away. Their gaze had landed on each other's eyes for a moment, before Mikleo couldn't maintain it for long. He cleared his throat, getting up on his feet and brushing a little dirt off his shorts and bare legs.

“Shall we get going, then?” he asked, still unable to make eye contact for long from embarrassment over his actions. “I want to make you something nice to say thank you.”

Sorey grinned, immediately jumping to his feet. “That's what I like to hear!”

As he followed Mikleo down the slope, he found his hand reaching his cheek again. The kiss brought him unbelievable joy, but it had only increased his craving for more. He swallowed, heart beating faster. No, it wasn't merely a craving. He _needed_ more. His body and soul yearned for it.

Once they were down onto level ground, Sorey grabbed hold of Mikleo's wrist, pulling him around and closer to him.

“So-Sorey?” he stammered, eyes wide as they met Sorey's. He didn't receive a reply, just Sorey inhaling sharply as his eyes shifted from Mikleo's eyes, quite clearly scanning his lips. For a moment, he was certain that Sorey was drawing closer. And in that moment, he was sure he would have fell if Sorey wasn't holding onto him.

But then Sorey's eyes caught the sight of Mikleo's wings, bringing him back to a harsh reality.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, releasing his hold as he walked forward, not meeting Mikleo's stare. Mikleo was only able to stay frozen to the spot for a few moments before he jogged to keep up. His heart was still pounding by the time he was sat in Sorey's car.

An awkward silence between them, they were now heading back the way they came. Sorey's voice speaking again at its normal volume, as cheery as ever, seemed to ease the tension a little bit.

“So what are you going to be making?” Sorey asked, grinning.

“I'm still deciding. But hey, it'll be a surprise.”

Sorey laughed, feeling a lot more relaxed than previously, but the image of Mikleo's parted lips was still playing on his mind.

 

* * *

 

 

Once they had returned to Ladylake, Sorey made the decision to head out to a grocery store nearby whist Mikleo cooked, what he needed still available in the apartment. Sorey found himself grinning excitedly upon leaving – after all, he could usually smell what Mikleo was cooking and was able to guess. This way, he'd have no clue.

He arrived at the store five minutes later, grabbing a basket to throw inside what he was after; basic hygienic essentials, milk, bread, butter, mostly just everyday things he needed to replace. Only he dawdled in front of the 'Home Baking' section, eyes scanning over the assortment of food colouring, decorations and basic ingredients, before he dropped quite a few of them into the basket, remembering how Mikleo had mentioned that he'd be able to make better desserts if he had more ingredients. It wasn't a hint at all – it was more of a mumble to himself as he was looking through the cupboards. But Sorey was all for contributing to what Mikleo wanted, even if it resulted in him buying more than what he actually went to the store for.

He paid for the items and said a cheery goodbye before leaving the store with two bags in one hand and one in the other, almost immediately bumping into a figure right outside of it.

“Oh, sorry!” he immediately exclaimed. A grin broke out on his face when he saw a head of red hair. “Oh, hey Rose!”

“Sorey!” the girl greeted enthusiastically, Sorey only able to raise the bags in his arms to mock returning her hug. “I'm just grabbing a bottle of water, wanna come with?”

Sorey did so, wanting to take the moment to speak with her whilst he had the chance. “How have you been?” she asked once she grabbed her water and was heading over to the self service.

“Great thanks, what about you?”

“I'm good. Alisha begged for me to come out and get some air after looking after her all day. It's been ages since I've seen her so sick, bless her!”

The two were now stepping outside of the shop, Sorey's eyes expressing concern.

“Is she doing okay?” Alisha had been off work for three days now with a stomach virus, which was almost as rare as Sorey doing so.

“Eh, she's not getting much better. But hey, it's usually the case that people get worse before they get better, right?”

Sorey smiled and nodded. “Right.”

“Maltran is really disappointed, Alisha had to postpone her visit – oh, want me to take one of those for you?”

The sudden question caught Sorey off guard for a moment. “Oh, you don't have to.”

“Nah, I will! It's been a while since we've had a catch up.”

She took one of the bags off him without another word, swinging it as they walked down the street.

“Careful, that's got the milk in.”

“Whoops!” she laughed, calming her movements. “So what about Ladylake recently, huh? It's completely changed!”

“Yeah, it's really incredible,” Sorey responded, hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions about it due to his awful lying. Still, he felt a sense of pride over this subject being brought up.

“Alisha believes it's some kind of miracle given to us or something – you know what she's like.”

“What do you think about that?”

“Eh, I don't really believe it,” she admitted, scratching the back of her head. “I've never really believed in all that, well, supernatural kind of stuff. What about you?”

“I'm, uh, not really sure. Maybe it is. I mean, it all happened so quickly.”

“God, not you as well. Still, I guess it's pretty cool to be spiritual. Alisha's always saying that I should believe in _something.”_

“Why is she so insistent?”

Rose hesitated for a moment, looking slightly uncomfortable. “W-Well, she just thinks that it would do me some good and the like.” She was quick to change the subject, a smirk growing on her face. “So, Sorey. Who is this potential lover she's been talking about?”

“Potential lover?” Sorey echoed, laughing. “He's not my lover.” He couldn't help but notice how he caused himself to feel disappointed over saying those words.

“So it's a boy? Hm, you're getting all secretive about this… Maybe he _is_ a lover but you're keeping him to yourself.”

Well, the last part wasn't precisely a lie. He couldn't exactly _not_ keep Mikleo to himself if other humans couldn't even see or hear him.

“Well, uh, there could be something there.” He only said it to try and satisfy Rose, but a little pain struck his heart. “But he's, um, pretty shy. It's why I've not introduced you.”

“What's his name?”

He hesitated. Surely a name wouldn't hurt?

“Mikleo.”

“Sorey and Mikleo sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

“Are you a child?” Sorey spluttered after laughing.

“At heart! Seriously though, that's a cool name. Never heard that one before.”

They were soon climbing up the stairs to his apartment, Rose insisting on walking all the way there for the _one_ bag in her hand. Sorey knew it was really because Rose wanted to stay with him for as long as possible.

“Glad to see it's not changed much!” Rose said as they entered, peering around the room. “Still as lovely as always.”

Sorey smiled. “Of course it is.” He was refraining himself from calling out to Mikleo, but that didn't stop it from happening the other way around.

“Is that you, Sorey? Food will be done in about ten minutes.”

Feeling awful over not being able to answer, he turned to Rose, trying to speed up her leaving despite how much he had been happy to see her.

“So, I'll guess I'll be –”

“Eh? Who was that, Sorey?” Rose questioned, smirking with a hand on her hip. “A boy cooking for you in the kitchen? Hm, no lover indeed...”

“No, that's just...” His words faded, eyes growing wide. “Wait, you _heard_ him?”

Rose looked confused. “Well yeah, why wouldn't I?” She forced out a laugh. “I think someone is going a little crazy.”

He felt as though he just might be doing so. Another human with enough resonance to hear an angel? Could she see them, too? If she had resonance, why was she so against having a belief?

He needed answers from her. He couldn't just let her leave and have this play on his mind.

“Rose, can you sit down?” he questioned, feeling his heart beat faster – whether it was from nerves or simply anticipation, he didn't know. “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Uh, sure?” she responded, not moving yet due to her confusion. “I don't really get what's going on, but...”

As she sat down in the armchair, Sorey wondering how on Earth he was going to question her, Mikleo's movements froze in the kitchen. There was something different in the air now. He couldn't quite place his finger on what it was.

But then he was soon to discover its cause when he walked over to the kitchen window, opening it and leaning outside. Hovering against the brick wall of the apartment block was an angel next to the living room window. He donned a unique black outfit with green detailing on his jacket, his shirt a matching green with a white striped design. One of his legs was bent with a boot against the wall behind him.

“Who are you?” Mikleo asked, immediately causing the man's head to turn. Mikleo saw then that as well as wearing a hat covering some of his face, unusual pendants tied around its base, he also had white hair with a green gradient on the ends falling over his eyes, obscuring them completely. Mikleo didn't receive an answer straight away – the angel merely flew over, Mikleo stepping back as he crouched on the windowsill, a gloved hand resting on his knee. Even without seeing the man's eyes, Mikleo could sense that he was concentrating. Moments later, he was muttering something about Mikleo's voice and being able to sense the element of water.

Then he finally spoke at a normal volume, his simple words causing Mikleo's eyes to widen.

“You're alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, technically...
> 
> I kid, I kid. Okay, but even though I am the writer, I am frustrated with them not kissing. Like guys. Just do it. Please.
> 
> Ohh also, I promise I'll be writing them fighting together before long! In the way we want them to, obviously. I just couldn't fit in that kind of scene when this chapter was already over 9,000 words long, haha! (my poor soul)
> 
> Thank you for reading, hopefully you enjoyed it being long! Next week's is shorter, but there's both answers and action in it, so I hope you're looking forward to it.


	13. Beginning of Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In their sudden meeting, the new angel, Dezel, is able to provide some information over Mikleo's past which hadn't been known by Lailah. After also informing them of two angels who were not far from where they were, Lailah and Mikleo set off to see if they are able to find them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, I loved reading all of your feedback as usual! It's always exciting to see how people react to cliffhangers.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mikleo blinked. “Why wouldn't I be...”

His words drifted off, because he realised that he knew the answer, or at least partly so. The shouts and screaming he had always been able to hear in the distance of his mind was still there, the one thing he could remember from being in Heaven. They were the cries of people in danger, potentially attacked – if Mikleo had been in that situation, then his life would have been in danger, too.

Then he remembered the girl's words during Sorey's chilling phone call a month prior, how he always felt as though his life might have been in danger. Perhaps there was more to it than him simply coming from a dangerous place.

He decided to speak again, the man still seeming be inspecting the situation. “I don't fully understand what you're talking about.”

But the man simply waved his hand in dismissal, Mikleo being forced to move to the side as the uninvited angel simply dropped down from the windowsill into the kitchen, making his way through.

“Did I say you could come in?”

He was ignored. The man peered around the doorway silently. With an irritable sigh and the acceptance that he wouldn't currently be answered, he trailed over to where the man was standing. He understood now what had grabbed the man's attention – Sorey was sitting with a girl with red hair, who Mikleo was certain he had heard the voice of. The man seemed to be listening intensely besides him.

“What's this about, Sorey?” the girl asked. She was smiling, but there was an edge of nervousness in her voice.

“Well, I, uh...” Sorey hesitated, looking unsure. “Rose, when you said you don't believe in anything, was that definitely true?”

“Huh? Well yeah, of course...” But her words sounded hesitant.

“I'm asking because of Mikleo.”

Mikleo stood a little straighter from the mention of him, concentration increasing further.

“Mikleo?” Rose questioned, a smirk growing on her face. It seemed slightly forced, as though she was trying to make the situation more comfortable for herself. “Oh yeah, that must have been who I heard. When _are_ you going to –”

“Please don't try and change the subject, Rose. This is important,” Sorey interrupted quietly. Rose grew silent, having not expected such a serious tone. “The thing is that it's not normal that you heard him.”

“What?” She let out a small laugh, her voice confused. “Sorey, you've lost me.”

Sorey scratched the back of his head, trying to work out how to put his thoughts into words. “Did Alisha tell you a couple of months ago about how I took a few days off work because of fatigue?”

“Um yeah, I think so.”

“And did she sound like she thought I might have been lying? Or at least hiding some of the truth?”

“Yeah, she did. She thought you had a friend or something who had something serious going on.” Rose tilted her head slightly to the side. “Why?”

“Because I _did_ lie to Alisha. I still feel really bad about it.”

“It was like two months ago, Sorey! Don't feel _bad._ Though if you lied, then what was the real reason?”

“That's what I'm getting to now. The night before my first day off, so when I called her, that's when I met Mikleo.”

Rose pushed herself to grin. “Eh, wanted a couple of days alone, did you?”

“Rose, please,” Sorey pleaded.

“Sorry, I crack jokes when I'm nervous. So what about Mikleo?”

“The thing is that… Well, I don't really know how to explain this.” Sorey sighed, leaning forward with his head lowered, hands resting against it for a moment. Mikleo and the unnamed angel watched over silently as he waited for words to come to him. His head eventually rose up, making eye contact with Rose again. “I found Mikleo unconscious in the park nearby when I was out for a run. He was injured.”

“Oh shit, I'm guessing you took him to the hospital.”

“That's the thing, Rose.” Sorey's voice had dropped slightly, Rose having to strain her ears a little bit to hear him properly. “There was no way I could have taken him.”

“How come?” Rose looked entirely confused by now, Sorey unable to blame her for it.

“Mikleo isn't human, Rose,” Sorey stated, deciding to get straight to the point. “He's an angel.”

Rose stayed silent for several painfully slow moments, looking stunned and unsure of what to do with herself. Then she was laughing – forced, uneasy laughter which screamed tension. This was understandable – after all, who could believe that so easily?

But it wasn't believing it which Rose seemed to be so troubled by. Her eyes were now blinded with fear, her hands clenching into trembling fists.

“You're … kidding, right? You have to be.” She laughed again, the humourlessness unsettling compared to her usual light-hearted demeanour. “There's no way…”

“It's true, Rose. He's got amnesia, and can't remember a lot of things. I've made it my task to help him find out about himself, as well as how I'm – faced with my own duties.” He decided to leave the topic of him being the Shepherd out for now, knowing full well that Rose wouldn't be able to concentrate on that. “I know it's hard to believe.”

Rose's fists tightened, head lowering so red strands of hair fell over her face. “Oh no, I believe you.”

“Huh? You do?” Sorey questioned in surprise. If she did, then why was she as unsettled as this?

“How could I not?” Her head shot back up, and Sorey found himself faced with more shock when he saw tears glistening in her bright blue eyes. “How can I not, Sorey, when all of this won't leave me alone?”

“Rose, what...”

“There!” she suddenly screamed, pointing over to the kitchen doorway. Whilst the man Mikleo was stood by shot back into the kitchen, as though he was accustomed to doing so, Mikleo simply stood there, stunned. “I swear… I swear I just saw a wing, but it's gone...”

“You have a high enough resonance to sense angels, but not see them completely,” Sorey said softly to himself.

“It's never left me alone,” she whispered, her voice somehow sounding harsh despite her quietness. “Never – not since I was a little girl...”

She got to her feet suddenly, eyes fixed on the door.

“Where are you going?” Sorey asked in a panic, jumping to his own feet.

“I've got to get out of here,” she said, now hurrying towards the exit. “I can't –”

“Rose, you can't let leave when you're in this much distress,” Sorey said, walking after her. “Please –”

“ _Don't!”_ she screamed, backing away from Sorey as he reached for her. “Don't get me involved! Just… Just leave me alone! _All of you!”_

She then opened the door and slipped out, shutting it loudly. Sorey was simply frozen to the spot now she was gone, a thousand unanswered questions running through his mind. He could have dealt with uncertainty and doubt. He could have even understood fear, if it had been of the unknown. But it wasn't the unknown; Rose clearly had some kind of history with Mikleo's kind. Had she really kept that hidden for so many years?

He looked up startled when an angel he had never seen before was walking past him, Mikleo jogging to catch up.

“Hey, hold on!” he called, grabbing onto the man's arm.

“Let go,” the man snarled. “I've got to go to her.”

“And what good would that do?” Mikleo questioned, not removing his grip. His eyes burned with determination. “We all saw how our kind affects her. So how would it help chasing after her now?”

The man pondered this, before he sighed and nodded, body steadily becoming less tense. “All right. But what's with you? You've lost your memories?” Mikleo nodded, causing the man to let out a sigh. “Do you know how it happened?”

“We're still trying to figure that out.”

“I see. Remember anything at all?”

“I steadily am. So who _are_ you?”

“Dezel. I'm Rose's guardian angel.”

“Guardian angel?” Sorey said, getting up so he could have an easier view of Dezel. “How long have you been that for?”

“Since she was a young girl.”

“But why didn't Sorey have one for that long if he was destined to be the Shepherd?” Mikleo asked.

“I don't fully know that myself. Something about fate with you two or something and how this guy already had angels watching over him carefully from Heaven. Rose was another person who we thought could be the Shepherd – after all, she's always had resonance. When she was younger, she could see and hear us properly.” Dezel hesitated. “It's not right for me to talk about her personal life. But something happened, and then she didn't want to believe in us any more.”

“Is that why she didn't end up being the Shepherd?” Sorey asked. “Because she didn't feel positively towards you?”

“Exactly. They needed someone who wouldn't fear us or their duties. That's where you came along. I'm still here to watch over her, though, just in case she ever has faith.”

“I see...”

“And what you said in the kitchen,” Mikleo spoke up. “About me being alive. What was that all about?”

“Exactly that. We were convinced you might have died.”

“Who is 'we'?”

“Angels in Heaven. I returned from there about a month ago.”

“After I got here?” Mikleo's said, eyes widening. Memorised screams seemed to fill his ears. “What happened there? Why can I hear them being in danger?”

“Because they are, or at least, they were.” Dezel folded his arms, a scowl on his face. “Filthy demons. They stepped out of line and tried to break into Heaven – actually, 'tried' isn't the word. Some _did_ get in. And it was all down to the word of a damn hellion.” The scowl deepened. “I'd die if I could even wipe the smirk off that's guy's face.”

“And that's why I'm able to hear them? Screams, I mean.”

“Yeah, you were caught up in the attack. You were only coming back briefly, to give an update on your progression as a guardian angel. You just so happened to come back at the wrong time.” Dezel seemed to look thoughtful. “Maybe it's not even a coincidence.”

“I can remember them telling me to get away from there.”

“Yeah, they were desperate for you to return to the Shepherd. Only _something_ happened along the way.”

“Do you have any idea at all about what that might have been?”

Dezel shook his head. “If I did, don't you think I would've known that you have amnesia? The thing is that we couldn't see your presence on Earth once you left Heaven. We thought you might have somehow died crossing over."

“But I did end up on Earth eventually.”

“That must have been after the connection was ruined. You see, thanks to demons messing up the order of things, not only is Heaven weaker now from the death of angels, but we've had to increase our security after we dealt with the invaders. Angels can get out, but no one can get in. Not even angels themselves.”

“That explains why Lailah hasn't been able to contact them,” Sorey thought aloud, Mikleo nodding in agreement.

“Ah, Lailah. She's your Prime Lord, I'm guessing.”

“That's right.”

“So I take it that because of that, you couldn't see me on Earth?” Mikleo asked.

“Exactly. I returned to Earth both because of Rose, but also to find you. We might have never known each other well, but I knew you were too stubborn to die that easily.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Wait,” Sorey suddenly stated. “What's your element?”

“Wind,” both Dezel and Mikleo said simultaneously, Dezel continuing on his own. “Why?”

“Because Lailah told us that we might be able to use the elements to get back. I don't really get it.”

“That's because four angels of different elements, along with the Shepherd, is incredibly powerful. If there is any trouble with the connections to Heaven, that is your best chance of breaking through.”

Sorey's eyes lit up excitedly. “So that means that we have three –”

“Hold on. Who said anything about me joining you?”

“But – but you just –”

“I only will if you can get Rose to believe in us. That's my deal.”

Sorey's heart sank. If Rose had acted the way she did earlier for a long time, it would be incredibly difficult to get her to change.

“Why does it matter so much, if Sorey is the Shepherd now?” Mikleo asked.

“This isn't about who is and who isn't the Shepherd,” Dezel responded, his voice quieter. “This is about finally getting Rose to speak to me properly, to see me without freaking out. I've wanted that for a long time.”

A silence fell, both Sorey and Mikleo empathetic. They cast a glance at each other – even if there had been no attraction between them, it would have still hurt tremendously if Sorey was similar to Rose.

And so, Sorey nodded. “All right. It's a deal.”

“I won't bet on it happening, though. You saw yourself what she is like. However, there's someone else who could help you, who I've seen recently.”

“Who?” Mikleo questioned.

“Two angels are currently travelling together in order to hunt down a devil; they are called Edna and Zaveid. They're actually friends of yours – or at least, they were.” The correction to past tense stung Mikleo slightly, but he was still focused on listening. “Edna's element is earth, whilst Zaveid's is wind. Zaveid is even more unlikely to team up with you than me. After all, he's taken the job of eliminating all devils, and isn't so quick to return to Heaven. However, perhaps if the Shepherd here offers help to Edna, she might just join you. There's your third element.”

Mikleo sighed in relief. “That's a step forward. Do you know where they are now?”

“I went with Rose when she and her wife took a day out in Marlind, and I met with Edna and Zaveid there. However, that was a few days ago. They could be all the way to Lastonbell by now.”

“I was thinking of transferring over there,” Sorey said. “How long do you think they'll stay around there?”

“It's fairly big, so probably for about a week.”

“How about I request a transfer this week, and then when I'm next off work, we'll go and see if we can find them before the transfer's finalised?” Sorey asked, turning to Mikleo.

“That sounds like a good plan,” Mikleo responded, smiling. “It'll work out for both malevolence _and_ trying to gather elements.”

“I can't guarantee that they _will_ help you, but you can try.” Dezel turned to the direction of the door. “I really should be getting back to her. As you've probably been able to feel by now, it doesn't feel right straying from those we protect when they're in a bad state of mind.”

“Thank you for taking the time to help us,” Mikleo said. “I really appreciate it.”

“It would be wrong of me not to.” He paused. “Let me know if you remember anything that happened.”

“I will, thank you.”

“And I'll thank you as well,” Sorey grinned. “Hopefully we see you around!”

“Yeah,” Dezel responded simply, before he exited silently. Sorey and Mikleo looked at each other, both looking hopeful.

“I hadn't expected a development so soon,” Mikleo commented.

“Me neither, but Lailah _had_ said she sensed an angel.” Though Sorey was soon to frown. “Poor Rose, though… She's probably been carrying that burden for a while.”

“I think you can help her,” Mikleo smiled. “After all, with your positivity? She might have been terrified, but maybe once she's calmed down, she might actually want to speak to someone who is like her.”

“Maybe,” Sorey said, looking thoughtful for a moment before he smiled back. “Thanks, Mikleo.”

“Don't mention it.”

“Hey,” Sorey then said slowly. “Do you smell burning…?”

“ _Shit!”_ Mikleo was running to the kitchen, peering into the oven. “Damn, I forgot to turn it down...”

Sorey burst out laughing at the burnt fish which was inside. “Man, I was looking forward to whatever you were making, too,” he said, eyes drifting to a roll of seaweed on the worktop. “Want to just order pizza?”

“We'll have to now.”

“But hey, now you don't have anything to give me for taking me out today...” Sorey sighed dramatically, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Maybe you need to kiss my cheek again instead?”

“I – I am _not_ going to do that on demand!” Mikleo spluttered, words almost struggling to be pronounced properly from being flustered.

“Awh, come on! Be more loyal to the Shepherd!”

“Would punching you in the face be loyal enough?”

The words didn't sound threatening at all coming from someone with a face stained pink. Sorey chuckled softly, ignoring Mikleo's protests as he patted his head.

“Nah, just keep being you.”

Mikleo let out a deep sigh, but for once, he didn't try to hide the embarrassed smile on his face.

 

* * *

 

 

There was no word from Rose over the next few days, though luckily, Alisha had at least returned two days after the incident with Rose. She was still looking very sick, but said she was certain that she had recovered enough to return back. Sorey had glanced at her pale face in worry, deciding to keep an eye on her to make sure she wasn't pushing herself past her limits.

“How is the transfer going?” Alisha asked.

“Great, actually. They're all for me going, especially now Ladylake's crime rate has gone down. I feel bad about you having to find a new partner, though.”

“Actually, that might not be the case,” she responded, smiling when Sorey's eyes widened a little in surprise. “I might be getting transferred, too.”

“Really?” Sorey said, excited over the possibility of not leaving his beloved partner behind. “That's great to hear!” Though his face fell a little when he realised what this meant. “But what about Rose? You'll be an hour away from her.”

“We'll manage. Rose often travels for different cases anyway, so it wouldn't be as though we never see each other.”

“I'm glad you have such a positive outlook on it,” Sorey smiled. Alisha returned the smile, though it faltered a little.

“Thank you, but...” She hesitated, contemplating her next words. “Rose seems a little bit … off, at the moment. She came home later than planned a couple of days ago, not really seeming like herself.”

“Oh,” was his simple answer, unsure of what to say. After all, he had been the cause of this. Did this mean that she was _still_ keeping things to herself? It seemed entirely unhealthy, and Sorey was worried about what it could potentially do to her. “Do… Do you have any idea why?”

“Not at all,” she sighed. “I tried to ask, but she said she was just stressed. Maybe she really is and I'm worrying too much. I'm not sure.”

Overwhelming guilt rose in Sorey's chest. “I hope she opens up soon.”

“I do, as well,” Alisha responded, a sad smile on her face which only added to Sorey's emotions. If this continued, there was no doubt about it; he'd have to try and speak to Rose himself. It was just a case of whether or not she would be willing to speak to him.

There was at least the hope that Dezel's information had brought, causing the situation to not all be negative. The following day brought Mikleo's idea of him and Lailah visiting Marlind before their visit to Lastonbell to ensure that Edna and Zaveid hadn't lingered there, as well as purify malevolence. Sorey agreed enthusiastically with this idea, knowing that they would be fine now that they both had the power of purification. He simply told them to be careful. He was worried about them being on their own, but knew after their fight a month ago that he couldn't keep holding Mikleo back. Meanwhile Dezel, who was much easier to find now they knew who he was watching over, agreed to keep an eye on the city for Lailah whilst she and Mikleo were gone.

Whilst somewhere as far as Lastonbell would have likely been very straining to fly to, Marlind was much more manageable due to it being closer. The spring weather made the journey enjoyable, both feeling refreshed from the wind and sun on their wings.

Marlind, despite being the second largest city in Hyland, was a lot more natural than Mikleo had expected. The forestry in particular was magnificent, and the whole city seemed to have a classic air to it. There was a cheerful atmosphere, too, which felt wonderfully welcoming even if they couldn't be seen.

“I wonder if we'll see Marlind's guardian angel,” Lailah pondered aloud. “I have only ever seen him once. I sought him after clearing a plague which was here with the last – ahem, time to get going!”

Mikleo was taken a little aback by her sudden change of subject, but soon followed her steps, getting rather accustomed to these random moments.

“A plague?” he asked as he caught up, wondering if she'd be able to talk about that, at the very least.

“Oh, yes. It almost wiped the city completely. It was caused by malevolence.”

She left it there, but it had been enough for Mikleo to put two and two together, which he had been starting to do for a while now. Lailah's oath was beginning to seem as though it related to a previous Shepherd, as her halted words always seemed to be relating to that role. Curious about who they could have been but also knowing that this was _definitely_ something Lailah couldn't talk about, he dropped the subject as he followed her.

“I cannot sense the earth or wind element...” she said as they wandered through the streets, unseeing humans walking by. “Perhaps we really are too late.”

“Still, I can sense malevolence, so this isn't all useless,” Mikleo commented, a hand momentarily held onto his chest.

“I can, too,” she responded, her pace slowing as she focused on its source.

“I think its coming from just outside the city, or at least, a greater deal is,” Mikleo said, turning around. “But why would it be out there?”

“That's a very good question. I'm a little worried.” She turned to him. “Would you like to go and check?”

Mikleo nodded. “Let's go.”

They walked back the way they came, purifying a couple of small hellions down side streets as they did so. Those hellions weren't enough to cause this malevolence; whilst it wasn't too overpowering for them, it was certainly still being caused by something at a much greater mass than these.

“Prepare yourself, Mikleo,” Lailah warned. “Just in case.”

Mikleo nodded. “Same to you.”

They had already conjured their weapons ready as they walked out onto grassland, staying a little away from the edge of a cliff nearby. Whilst they didn't want to be out in the open, they didn't exactly want to be pressed against a wall, either.

“There,” Lailah suddenly stated, shooting out fire to her left. The hellion let out a hiss as the fire hit its target directly; upon seeing it, they saw that it was a black snake, appearing deadly from its sickening, malevolent form. Two streams of water shot out of Mikleo's staff to finish the purification, a regular green snake left its in place.

“There's more!” Mikleo exclaimed, the grip on his staff tightening as he held it further out in front of him, unflinching when several snakes bore their fangs threateningly. _“_ _Ice Reaver!”_

His feet stood firmly on the ground as the shards of ice pierced through the snakes' bodies, before jumping forward to finish them off at a closer range. A surge of panic then rose in his chest when his eyes averted to above his head, locking his gaze with what appeared to be some kind of bird.

But Lailah was quick on the offence, her eyes never leaving the scene. _“Burning Strike!”_ she shouted, scattering talismans to cause fire to shoot down on top of the hellion, plummeting it to the ground. Mikleo finished it off with a strong jet of water, watching it transform back to normal, before turning to Lailah, wiping his forehead.

“You could have hit me then,” he said, grinning.

“Purification cannot affect angels, remember?”

“I know, I was joking.” Mikleo's body straightened, posture less defensive, but his weapon was still in his hand. “That couldn't have been it.”

“No, there's still malevolence here,” Lailah responding, looking around them. “But I do not see hellions…”

Mikleo frowned when Lailah suddenly appeared worried. “What is it?”

“It's not a devil, no… But could it possibly be a demon? _”_

His eyes widened, casting glances around them wildly. “If you're there, come on out!”

“You're trying to _provoke_ them?”

“Better that than leaving them to attack us from behind, right?”

“Good point,” Lailah said, conjuring up more talismans. Her head snapped around at the sound of wings, eyes trailing upwards to find who they belonged to. “It's you.”

“That greeting does not sound very polite.” Mikleo was surprised at how cold the girl's voice was, watching as she lowered herself to the ground lightly. After all, despite what her revealing, dark outfit and equally dark hair suggested, she was an angel. White wings, fairly smaller than his were, were spread out either side of her. Lailah had already told him that the wings of demons were pure black. “Really, Lady of the Lake, is that the way you should speak to a fellow angel?”

“You are no angel!” Lailah snapped.

“What's going on?” Mikleo questioned. “Who is she?”

“An angel so corrupt and with such a little conscience that she does not become tainted at all by malevolence,” she responded, eyes never leaving the small angel. “She's called Symonne.”

“You could have simply stated my name,” she drawled, before her gaze fell on Mikleo. “So _there_ you are. Sub Lord, are we? Even after the warning I gave to your Shepherd...”

“You were the one who called him?” Mikleo demanded.

“But of course. I wanted to provoke him _somehow._ All Shepherds are quite simple, really. Threaten to kill the ones they love and they'll grovel at my feet, begging for mercy.” A smirk had tugged on her lips for a moment, but then she frowned. “Only he _still_ let you become his Sub Lord. What a pain.”

“Don't try to use angelic artes, Mikleo,” Lailah murmured to him. “Try to stick with regular ones. It's our conscience to not use our magic to harm fellow angels, and they might fail.”

“Discussing tactics, are we?” Symonne asked, raising an eyebrow. “No need.”

Mikleo's head shot around at Lailah letting out a sudden cry of pain. His eyes widened at the sight before his eyes; a tall man with huge black wings was gripping onto her throat from behind her. A chilling snicker escaped his lips as they curled into a wide smirk, which sent a shiver down Mikleo's spine for a reason that seemed even greater than merely just what he saw and the malevolence he felt. He hadn't even heard the demon appear, and it was clear that Lailah hadn't, too. Goosebumps began to form on his skin from how sinister the man appeared.

“You sure turned up late, Lunarre.”

“I'm here now, aren't I? Don't do that, brat!” the man suddenly shouted when Mikleo lifted his staff. Lailah let out a whimper as the grip on her neck tightened. The man's smirk seemed to only grow further, his thick ponytail brushing against his shoulder as he lowered his head. “She'll be dead before you know it. And don't _you_ dare, either!” Lailah had conjured talismans in her hand, before Lunarre grasped her arm tightly and pressed it against her back, her eyes squeezing shut and teeth biting her lip. “Be a good girl.”

“Let her go!” Mikleo shouted. He turned on his heel at the sound of footsteps behind him, blocking a black ray of light shot at him from Symonne.

“You need to watch out for your own back, kid,” she warned. She swiftly dodged out of the way of him charging at her, twisting her body around to plant a kick into his back. He winced as he painfully hit the floor, but managed to turn around in time to block another attack, before countering with a wave of his staff. She hissed at the impact, clutching her arm.

“Lunarre, hurry up with that bitch and help me!” she ordered, cursing when Mikleo dodged another one of her attacks. “He's faster than I realised.”

“I just need a second,” Lunarre grinned, Mikleo screaming at him to stop as he applied more pressure to Lailah's throat. Her eyes bulged, mouth attempting to gasp for breath. Before long, her head lopped to the side, Lunarre tossing her unconscious body carelessly to one side.

“ _Lailah!”_ Mikleo bellowed as she fell to the floor, stepping forward to reach her side, but he barely had a chance to move before Lunarre jumped in front of him, his expression even more terrifying up close. He had no time to dodge a strong kick to his stomach, winded as he fell down onto his knee. Lunarre's own knee shot upwards into Mikleo's jaw, causing him to fall back onto the floor. He spat out blood from his mouth, ignoring the pain as he held his staff in front of him.

“ _Twin flow!”_ he shouted, watching as the jets of water caught Lunarre off guard. He held onto the chest the currents had hit, letting out a loud, crazed laugh.

“You've gotten better than last time, eh heh! How _exciting.”_

Mikleo only glared with no time to question his words, ready to attack him again, before sensing a presence behind him. He spun his staff around, Symonne jumping backwards out of the way. Mikleo took his own steps back so the two were in his line of vision, knowing how dangerous it was to not see them both at once.

“His reflexes are better than I expected,” Symonne commented. “Not bad for someone who lost their memories.”

“How _is_ that by the way? Heh heh… You sure had one done in on you.”

“How do you –” His speech halted, thoughts drifting away for a short, precious few seconds as his own scream resounded in his ears.

“ _N-_ _N_ _o, you can't... Stay back!_ Don't!”

His thoughts were forced back by one of Symonne's artes hitting into his left shoulder. He winced as he grasped onto it, eyes focusing back on the two figures.

“Both at once!” Symonne commanded. A surge of panic momentarily went through Mikleo's chest, but sudden inspiration hit. He shot up into the air by his wings, dodging their duelled attack, before the bubble he had familiarised himself with encased him inside, shielding him from Lunarre's sight.

“Where is he?” Lunarre demanded, eyes darting around.

“You idiot, he's up there!” Symonne spat, stretching out her own wings to follow him, but she had hesitated for too long. Passing around her, he held out his staff to a confused Lunarre.

“ _Aqua Serpent!”_ he shouted, the conjured water catching Lunarre off guard. The bubble around him had burst, but Lunarre was already on the floor. Mikleo guided the serpents around to Symonne as she was charging an attack. He remembered Lailah's words, thinking it might have been hopeless, but was shocked to hear Symonne's scream of pain, wings faltering as she fell to the floor. She coughed, body trembling.

“I-It _poisoned_ me!” she spluttered. Her eyes glared up at Mikleo. “I'm an angel, how did that arte harm me?!”

“It must be because I don't see you as such,” Mikleo said coldly. “Attacking angels with a demon – how on Earth can you call yourself an angel?”

“Aggressive one, aren't you?” Lunarre's voice said from behind him. Mikleo spun around to block Lunarre's punch with his staff, forcing him back.

“Let's just finish this,” Symonne growled, shakily getting to her feet. Her face was becoming increasingly more pale than usual, purple strands of hair becoming matted from sweat. “We can do this if we get serious.”

“No, there's no fun in it if you're not up to your full strength,” Lunarre grinned. “Plus, I don't think I want to kill him here, eh heh… You know it'll have less of an impact on the Shepherd if he's not there to see him die.”

“And who says I'm going to let you go that easily?” Mikleo demanded, leg muscles tensing as he stood his ground, holding out his staff in front of him.

“ _I_ do, because there's something you might want to know from me.”

Mikleo's eyebrow raised. “Really, now?”

“Oh, yes. That girl right there,” Lunarre pointed a finger at Lailah's unconscious form, “do you really trust her?”

“Huh?” Mikleo blinked. “Lailah? Why wouldn't I?”

“She's been hiding the truth from you all along,” Lunarre grinned, a low chuckle escaping his lips. “Lying to you because God forbid an _angel_ committing something _awful.”_

“Lailah would never do something like that.”

“And how long have you known Lailah with your lost memories?” Symonne interjected. “A couple of months?”

“I don't care. We still knew each other before then.”

“Yet I doubt she ever confessed!” Lunarre exclaimed, letting out a wicked laugh. “Has she never hid _anything_ from you, brat? Are you _sure?”_

“W-Well, she...” Mikleo couldn't say no, not with all the times she had told him to just 'leave it for now' whenever he tried to ask. This hesitation with clear meaning only made Lunarre's grin grow.

“There it is, heh heh...”

“I'm sure that whatever she has hidden from me is only for my benefit!” Mikleo exclaimed, grateful that his voice sounded convincing, despite the fact that he was guiltily beginning to feel troubled by Lunarre's words.

“Or hers, maybe?” Symonne suggested, voice spiteful. “Because she doesn't want to destroy her pure act?”

“It's _not_ an act,” Mikleo snapped. “You have no right to judge someone's purity.”

“Sy, leave this to me, it hurts you to speak because of your poison.” But Lunarre seemed encouraged further by his companion's words. “We have a poor, poor water guardian right here… Quite _unfortunate_ indeed.”

“Stop with the damn riddles!”

“You know what's a riddle?” Lunarre demanded, laughing. “The riddle here is whether or not it is _my_ kind to blame with toying with your life, or the angels, when we've both done it!”

“Toying with my life?” Mikleo asked quietly. “What do you mean?”

“You death was no accident.” Alarmed purple eyes widened at those words. “Oh yes, no accident indeed! And then what about you and the Shepherd? Can you _still_ not remember your life together?”

“So it _is_ true that we have already known each other,” Mikleo murmured.

“That's right. And guess what? Guess the reason _why_ you can't possibly remember, that you were torn apart despite being destined to stand together!” Lunarre shouted, burning excitement in his eyes. “It's all that damn girl's fault that you two were separated! She is the reason that both of your memories of each other were erased!”

Mikleo could only stare for a moment in disbelief. He couldn't believe those words. “You're lying.”

“Am I?” Lunarre questioned. “Look me in the eye and tell me that I'm lying!”

Mikleo's mouth opened, before closing it again. He didn't know how to respond, even what to think. His eyes glanced at Lailah's body, remembering all of her loving words, her motherly care, her advice and support never failing to warm his heart and ease his soul.

The lack of reply only seemed to amuse Lunarre further. “And there we have it. I hope we'll see each other again _very_ soon!”

Mikleo didn't move as Lunarre scooped Symonne onto his arm and lifted her up, his wings carrying them away. Mikleo probably couldn't have even if he tried. His mind was racing with a thousand questions and doubts. But right now, he had to make sure Lailah was okay.

He winced and grabbed his shoulder as he walked over to her, suddenly noticing the pain from his fight now that it was over. However, he ignored it as he crouched down by Lailah, pressing his fingers against her neck to ensure nothing worse had happened than her losing consciousness. He breathed out in relief over the throbbing of a pulse, before hovering a hand over her bruising neck. A blue light radiated down onto it, healing the injury gradually. There was a sharp inhale, and suddenly, bright eyes had locked with his.

“M-Mikleo?” she said airily, before her eyes suddenly grew wide, startling Mikleo as she suddenly shot upright. “Where are they?”

“They're gone now, don't worry,” Mikleo responded. “I fought them off.”

“You fought off an angel _and_ demon by yourself?”

“Well, yeah. I'm sure they would have beaten me before long, I've used a lot of magic power.”

But Lailah was shaking her head. “That's incredible, Mikleo. Most hellions cannot compare to an angel and demon, especially together. You really have gotten stronger.”

Mikleo smiled at the praise, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. How could this proud, adoring woman be untrustworthy?

“Can you stand?” he asked.

“Yes, I should be able to.” She confirmed this by steadily getting to her feet, Mikleo following. “We need to go tell Sorey about this. Who knows when they might attack again?”

Mikleo nodded in agreement. Lailah noticed that something seemed to be wrong with him. She placed a hand on his arm, looking concerned.

“Are you all right, Mikleo?”

He hesitated. How on Earth could he bring this up to her now, when they had Sorey to talk to and when she had only just gotten hurt?

“I'm fine. Let's get going.”

“Wait, let me heal you, first.” She closed her eyes as she did so, Mikleo sighing from the relieved pain, before they both spread their wings and shot up from the ground.

Lunarre's words were attempted to be pushed to one side as they travelled, but kept returning constantly. Mikleo's eyes glanced at the angel flying next to him, wondering if he was really able to trust her, or if the demon had simply been playing with his mind. As he had always done, he was desperately in need of the truth.

The journey felt as though it stretched on for an unbelievable amount of hours. He was unsure about Lailah being silent. Anxiety warned him that perhaps she might have been thinking that something was told to Mikleo whilst she was unconscious, but he decided to try and think more sensibly. The situation they had both been in was highly dangerous, which was a reason in itself for Lailah's mind to be too distracted to speak.

They arrived home eventually, spotting Sorey's car already parked outside before walking to the front door. Mikleo barely had enough time to call out about their return before a body was thrown at him, Lailah jumping out of the way as he stumbled backwards, wrapped tightly in strong arms.

“W-What?” he stammered out of shock, not returning the embrace from sheer puzzlement. “Sorey, what's the matter? Are you all right?”

“That's what I should be asking you,” Sorey murmured into Mikleo's shoulder. Somehow, the grip seemed to become even tighter.

“I don't mean to be rude, but we really should get inside before someone sees you're hugging air,” Lailah said, sounding a little amused by her words but was as equally curious as Mikleo over Sorey's actions.

“Right,” Sorey responded, reluctantly letting go so they could go inside. Lailah had only just shut the door before she turned and saw Sorey's hands now on Mikleo's shoulders, desperation reflected in his eyes. “You seem okay, but… Was it hellions?”

“What?” Mikleo blinked. “How do you know I was injured?”

“I felt it again. Just slightly.”

“You did? But they weren't even major injuries, not like that night...”

“And from such a long distance?” Lailah added, looking surprised but impressed simultaneously.

“Like I said, it was just a bit – I mean, I could have shrugged it off, but I just had a feeling.” He finally let go of Mikleo's shoulders, letting out a small sigh. “You should have brought your phone with you. I was worried.”

Mikleo's eyes glanced over at the coffee table, finding that he had accidentally left it there.

“I'm sorry. Though I couldn't exactly answer calls in one hand and fight with the other,” he said, letting out a small chuckle.

“So _was_ it hellions?” Sorey pushed.

“No, it was an angel and a demon,” Lailah informed him.

“An … _an_ _gel?”_ Sorey repeated, eyes wide. “Why would an angel attack you?”

“She's incredibly evil, so much so that malevolence doesn't affect her. She was banned from Heaven years ago, and we are told to kill her if she tries anything drastic.” Lailah's eyebrows furrowed. “She was the one who had called you a month ago.”

Sorey inhaled sharply, obviously trying to keep his emotions under control. “And you're both fine?”

“Yes, we healed each other.” Lailah smiled warmly at Mikleo, gratitude in her eyes. “I would probably not be alive right now if it wasn't for him.”

“Come on, it wasn't _that_ big of a deal...”

“What did you do?” Sorey asked.

“Lailah fell unconscious, so I fought them on my own.”

“You did _what?!”_ The hands were back on his shoulders again. “Mikleo, that's –”

“Reckless, dangerous, suicidal? All of the above?”

“Yeah, but...” Both Sorey's face and hands grew gentler. “Also pretty damn awesome. But I don't want you both to be so far away from me again.” He bit his lip, Mikleo unsurprised over a second hug. “I've been panicking for hours.”

“We're fine, really.” But he knew why Sorey was saying this. Purifying hellions alone was fine, but creatures with power equal to theirs was an entirely different story. He was beginning to realise just how lucky they had been to get out of there alive.

“I just can't let them hurt you, that's all.” Sorey pulled away again, only once they were apart, Mikleo watched with a held breath as Sorey took his hand gently, thumb rubbing over its skin. “I can't go through that again. Not now I...” There was a deep breath, all three left in silence. Sorey, not removing Mikleo's hand, turned to Lailah. “Do you think they'll attack again?”

Lailah seemed reluctant to nod. “Most likely. And what we saw today wasn't the full extent of their power. Lunarre in particular just wanted to toy with us. We'll have to get stronger, _especially_ with what Dezel has told you.” She hesitated, looking worried. “The tale of a hellion powerful enough to rule over demons… I thought it was just a myth. But now… Yes, we definitely have to get stronger. What we faced today isn't close to matching that power.”

“We'll do it, Lailah,” Sorey said, voice etched with determination. “We've already come this far in a short time. I'm sure we'll find enough power."

Lailah managed to smile. “You do have a point there.” She then bowed her head slightly, hair falling forward. “If you'll both excuse me, I should go and find Dezel to inform him that Symonne and Lunarre are near.”

“Wait, Lailah,” Mikleo spoke out, bringing his hand out of Sorey's grasp as he turned. He swallowed, unsure of whether or not he could continue. He just knew that if he didn't ask anything, even if it was just to receive a yes or no answer, that his mind would be wandering constantly. He couldn't be of use to Sorey when he was like that.

“What is it, Mikleo?” she asked, turning back around fully.

“I… I don't really know how to ask this.” There was a tense pause, Mikleo trying to find the right words to string together. “Lunarre said something to me after we fought.” He received no answer, but there was no mistaking a small, visible flinch from Lailah. Part of him felt guilty and wanted to drop the conversation instantly, but he told himself that he _had_ to know what was going on. “He said… He said that both angels and demons have been toying with my life, or something like that. And … he also said that you were the reason that Sorey and I were separated when we both knew each other.”

There was a dreadful silence following those words. Mikleo's heart was pounding so fast that he was certain that the other two would have been able to hear its beating. The fact that he wasn't receiving an answer straight away spoke a thousand words on its own.

“What?” Sorey ended up saying quietly. “What does that mean?”

Lailah lowered her head, hand reaching for her mouth. “It… I...”

“Lailah, is it true?” Mikleo pushed, feeling unsettled by her reaction.

Her head rose slowly, Sorey and Mikleo taken aback when they saw tears had escaped from her eyes and were pouring down her cheeks, her silent crying shooting pain into both of her hearts.

Then she nodded, letting out a breathless sob as hands covered her face, body visibly shaking. There were choked words that they could hardly hear, but could just barely make out a few of them.

“ _My fault… Never deserved any of this…”_

Neither Sorey nor Mikleo could move or say a word in that moment, because despite the fact that she had been hiding a clearly dark secret from them, it was clearly distressing her.

It was obvious that whatever she had been hiding was tearing her up inside, whatever this secret may have been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a huge amount of confidence in writing fight scenes, so hopefully it's all right! *crawls into a hole to try and cope with anxiety*
> 
> Thank you for reading as always! Next chapter is about 9,500 words long, eek. I'm glad that I've had some comments saying they like longer chapters and thank me for them... I just have too much to include all the time, haha!
> 
> I hope you're looking forward to it, and take care!


	14. Uncertain Paths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After hiding Sorey and Mikleo's past from them, Lailah finally gives details of what she knows. Following her story, the three of them venture out to Lastonbell to seek out Edna and Zaveid, hoping that this time, they'll be successful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... I am SO sorry this is so long... I have to make chapters like this in order to not make this story turn out to be a ridiculous amount of chapters long. I have too much to say, basically :')
> 
> Thank you for your feedback as always, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
> 
> (Also, with next week's update, this will be longer than Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which is quite the feat considering I still have quite a bit to get through. I'm so proud of this with my health and all, to be honest ;u;)

Lailah fell down onto the armchair as she tried to control her crying, her shoulders still shaking convulsively from her sobs. Sorey and Mikleo glanced at each other before they walked over, placing one of their hands on each of her shoulders. In this moment, it didn't matter what she had done in the past. This was Lailah. They couldn't leave her without comfort.

“I'm sorry,” she ended up gasping out into her hands. “I'm so, so sorry...”

“Lailah,” said Mikleo, gently but firmly. He crouched down in front of her, taking her hands into his when they lowered from her face to meet his eyes. “I can tell from you reacting this way that you didn't want to do whatever happened to us.”

She was shaking her head furiously. “No, no of course I didn't –”

“But we need to know what happened,” he continued, voice still soft. Sorey remained silent, simply rubbing his fingers lightly on her shoulder.

“I...”

“Please, Lailah. I think it would help you, too.”

She simply looked at him for several moments before nodding slowly, taking her hands out of his to wipe tears away from her reddening eyes. “It's been constantly on my mind ever since I met you both. I suppose I shouldn't hide it any longer.”

Mikleo got to his feet so he was able to sit down on the sofa, Sorey soon following. Their postures were both straight, keen to listen to what she had to stay. She remained silent for a short while, looking down at her hands and seeming as though she was trying to figure out how to speak.

“So you now know without a doubt that the two of you already knew each other, I assume?” she began, receiving two nods in reply. “You became friends when you were both five.”

“That young?” Sorey ended up saying, eyes a little wide. Lailah nodded, the smile on her face full of sadness.

“That's right. You were both inseparable, much more so than anyone else your age. When there was one of you, there was the other right by their side. You were hardly ever apart.”

“Was that why I was so hesitant about moving to Pendrago?” Mikleo asked, already knowing the answer. Lailah nodded, breathing in deeply.

“You wouldn't remember, but you were distraught about leaving Sorey behind. After all, you had both been best friends for years. In fact, even from such a young age, your parents thought that what you two shared was too beautiful to be called friendship. Perhaps romance seems like the wrong word to use for children, but they knew that whatever you two shared, it was special.”

“Then how...” Sorey started, hesitating for a moment. “If it was really that special, then how on Earth could we forget about it?”

Lailah bit her lip. It was obvious that they were reaching towards what had been playing on her mind. “Even at this age, you had an unbelievably high resonance. You can probably remember moments of that. Mikleo had one which was high, too, and the two of you often wanted to go searching for clues about the supernatural together.” She paused. “This was dangerous in itself, but we decided to simply watch over you and guide you if you needed to be. However… There was more danger in you both having high resonance than simply this. You see, hellions are attracted to those of high resonance. Having two children with such high resonances _together...”_

“It was putting our lives in danger,” Mikleo answered for her, receiving a nod in reply.

“But even then, that wouldn't have pushed us to do what we did, for we could have stepped in.” Her head lowered again, hands on her lap restless. “You were being sought out by demons, Mikleo, and not because of your resonance. That wouldn't have made a difference.”

“But _why?”_ he asked, sounding desperate. “Why have they always...” His words drifted off. A small smile managed to form momentarily on his face when Sorey placed a hand on his thigh, the touch comforting.

“They were putting two and two together and realised that Sorey was who we had decided could become the Shepherd. Symonne likely helped them with that discovery. You and Sorey are connected, _nothing_ able to tear you apart forever, not even death. They knew this, and they wanted to use you against him. It is likely that they wanted to take you away, leaving Sorey without you, and then use you once he was faced with his destiny in order to take control of him. Put simply, they wanted to use what you both share against you.”

“I can see why they would want to make that plan,” Sorey said quietly. “I don't think anything could affect me more.”

“Which is exactly why we angels, as well as demons who were still doing their job properly, had to take matters into our own hands.” Lailah's form became smaller, hands grasping each other. “There were countless debates about what we had to do in order to protect you. Then the idea of altering both of your memories was brought up.” There was a silence for several moments before she continued. “Usually, using our abilities to alter memories can only be done on incidents where we cannot allow a human to remember seeing one of us. But they can be used for circumstances such as these.

“The final decision had to fall on my shoulders, as the guardian angel of both of you,” she said quietly. Tears were beginning to well up again in her eyes. “I didn't want to do any of this. But at the same time, I knew there was no other way to protect you. I took advantage of your mother wanting to take you from an abusive household by wiping both yours and Sorey's memories once you left. With no knowledge of each other and living separately, it would be much more difficult for demons to find you and know of the role you play in Sorey's life.” A single tear trickled down her cheek. “I cannot say I regret it, for I knew it was the best way to deal with the situation. But I still feel guilty after all this time. That only increased when I found out that you had died.” Another few tears fell, the room silent as she thought over her words, for Sorey and Mikleo were unable to say anything themselves. “The plan was to restore both of your memories once you were older. But we never got the chance. Memories as a human cannot be restored by magic once they turn into an angel – they can only return by themselves.”

Another silence fell, though this time, Mikleo was the one to break it.

“I understand now why you avoided all of this,” he said, surprised at how calm his voice sounded, for he was certainly not as such. He swallowed, throat aching from holding back his own tears. “I don't blame you for anything, though.”

She raised her head, apparently not expecting that answer. “But I –”

“You were only doing what you had to do in order to protect us,” Sorey continued for Mikleo, smiling at her. “It's clear that you didn't want to hurt us at all.”

“Of course I didn't,” she whispered. “I never wanted you both to lose each other.”

“And we know that,” said Mikleo. “I appreciate how much you were looking out for us. Even though you had to do it because of your role, I still feel like you also did it for us personally.”

She nodded, managing to smile. “I had adored seeing your bond grow. It was much more than just a duty for me.”

It was then that Mikleo realised just where her motherly nature towards them both may have started. Even with what happened and how she had tried to hide the truth from them, he couldn't feel angry. She was forced to make a decision she didn't want to make, still caring for them both after all of this time. How could he feel fury against someone who had never wanted to hurt either of them?

Though a thought was crossing his mind, causing him to frown. Sorey noticed his, hand still on his thigh squeezing slightly. “You okay?”

“There's one thing the demon said, too,” he said, swallowing. “He said my death was no accident.”

He hadn't expected Lailah to look so shocked, heart sinking when he realised that this might have been the one thing she had no answer to.

“I-I never knew that,” she stuttered, confirming his thoughts. “Yes, we were suspicious over how it seemed sudden, but we couldn't automatically decide on the cause being demons, and we decided it would have been pointless to kill you when Sorey didn't even know you. We thought you might have had a terminal illness which only started showing signs right before your death. After all, we only sensed that you were ready to die once you collapsed...” Her hands clenched into fists. “If he says it wasn't an accident, then –”

“Then demons somehow managed to kill me,” he finished for her quietly, a small shake in his voice. He turned his head at Sorey when he heard a sharp inhale, his head lowered. “Sorey?”

“Why would they kill him if they wanted to use him against me?” he questioned, the low tone causing a small shiver to run down Mikleo's spine. Sorey's head rose, unblinking, furious eyes locking with Lailah's. “Why do they have to control his life like this?”

She shook her head hopelessly. “I don't know, Sorey. Maybe it was for this moment, to make you unsettled like this.”

Unsettled might have been an understatement to describe the fury welling up in him, his shallow breaths and his muscles tensing up. He tried to breathe out, knowing that Lailah was implying that he needed to calm down, but his heart was still racing.

“Sorey, it's fine,” Mikleo said softly. “I'm right here, see?”

But Sorey was shaking his head. “Not as a human, not as someone I can...”

As Sorey's words trailed off, Mikleo let himself be pulled closer, his head being buried into Sorey's shoulder. A hand rested on the back of his head, brushing through strands of hair absent-mindedly, his other hand laid on Mikleo's waist. Lailah could only watch silently, unsure of whether she was touched by his protectiveness, or if she was distraught over them being torn apart.

“Don't ever leave my side, Mikleo,” Sorey murmured. The kiss which was planted against the top of Mikleo's head lingered for longer than they had done previously. “I can't let you get hurt again. I _won't.”_

Mikleo smiled into Sorey's shoulder, voice a little muffled. “I'm not going anywhere.”

No more words were spoken as the hold lasted for a few minutes – it could have been hours, in fact, when they felt as though they were in their own separate world. But eventually, their minds were brought back to the present as they separated reluctantly. The hand which had been on the back of Mikleo's head eased around to cup his cheek for a moment, thumb hovering by the corner of his mouth. With his heart skipping a beat as he felt his cheeks became warm, he watched with disappointment as Sorey edged away, shifting his gaze to Lailah.

“I deeply apologise for not telling you sooner,” Lailah broke the silence with, hanging her head in shame. “Really, I am. I just didn't know how to tell you something so distressing, and I was anxious that you would blame me entirely.”

“Don't apologise, Lailah,” Sorey responded, voice becoming brighter again. “We both understand.”

“And thank you for telling us,” Mikleo added. “I'm grateful to not have it playing on my mind any more.”

Lailah smiled. “No need to thank me.” She then rose up from her seat, fixing her dress into place. “Now, I really must go find Dezel. Even if he is not willing to join you yet, I still want him to be aware.”

“Of course,” Sorey nodded.

“See you soon,” Lailah said, bowing her head before exiting the apartment quietly. Sorey and Mikleo simply sat silently for a while after she left, unsure of what to do or say, before Sorey eventually broke it.

“Are you all right?” he asked, turning to Mikleo. His back was hunched over silently, eyes fixed on his hands.

“I'm a bit overwhelmed, that's all,” was the quiet reply. “I just… It's been a lot to take in today.”

A hand rubbed the area between his wings gently, receiving an appreciative hum in response. “That's understandable. It was a lot for me, too.”

“I wonder whether you were just as childish at five as you are now,” Mikleo commented, a smirk tugging at his lips. He laughed as the hand which had been touching him gave him a small push.

“There's no need for that,” Sorey huffed.

Mikleo merely shrugged, chuckling at Sorey pouting. His face soon fell again though, unable to keep his smile for long. “I hope our memories of each other will come back.”

“Same here,” Sorey responded quietly. He paused for a moment before getting to his feet. “You've been through a lot today. Rest up whilst I cook, okay?”

“Don't burn it.”

“Like you did the other day?” Sorey teased. Mikleo pouted, holding his head up with his arms folded.

“That was only because of circumstances I couldn't help.”

“Whatever you say.” He laughed and dodged a cushion which was thrown at him, holding his hand up into a peace sign before wandering over to the kitchen, where his smile dropped and face darkened.

He could understand the angels' reasoning behind their decisions. In fact, despite how much he hated the thought that they were separated, he was partly glad that it _did_ happen so a more torturous event hadn't occurred. But the controlled death was naturally something he could not accept. Mikleo had been stripped of such little freedom that even the end of his life had been decided for him. Sorey's teeth gritted, hand on the freezer gripping its handle so tightly that his knuckles grew a harsh white.

He would stop them. He would do whatever it takes to show them that they had no right to do what they did.

“He's mine,” he found himself saying quietly. “He's my guardian angel, he's my Sub Lord, he's...” He bit his lip. What else was he?

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, continuing with preparing their dinner of fish and chips. He was actually surprised that he didn't do what Mikleo warned him not to, and that was burn it. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour.

“It's done,” he called, peering his head around the kitchen archway. His eyes landed on Mikleo sitting up on the couch, rubbing his eyes sleepily before getting up, hair slightly ruffled and leaving his circlet partly on display. Sorey was certain that these were the moments he loved Mikleo's hair the most. “Did you end up sleeping?” he asked once they were in the kitchen, settling down onto stools.

Mikleo shook his head. “No, I was just resting my eyes.” He cut up the salmon fillet on his plate, taking a bite. “Not bad. At least it's not burnt.”

“Not bad?” Sorey whined, nudging him with his elbow. “At least give me _some_ credit.”

“Fine, it's good.”

“I guess that's the best I'm getting,” he sighed, receiving a laugh in response. “We didn't all go to college to learn to cook, you know.”

“I'll have you know that I was already a superb cook prior to college,” Mikleo stated with an air of superiority.

Sorey snorted. “That's a pretty big ego you've got there.”

“Deal with it.”

Their bickering settled as the meal went on, unable to be distracted from their thoughts for very long. Mikleo finally gave him genuine gratitude for the food, before the two settled in the lounge. The TV was on, laughter coming from its speakers, but their minds weren't paying attention to that. Their eyes kept shifting to look at each other. Eventually, Mikleo shuffled slightly closer, enough so their legs touched. His head fell against Sorey's shoulder eventually. It felt natural to rest it there.

Being close to one another seemed to make time go faster, and before long, the two were preparing for bed. Sorey was beginning to set up his usual mass of pillows and a duvet on the sofa, though he noticed Mikleo lingering by the bedroom door, eyes looking down when Sorey tried to meet them.

“What's up?” he asked. Mikleo's body shifted nervously.

“I'm still unsettled from what's happened,” he said quietly. His eyes glanced at Sorey for a moment – or more specifically, his bare torso – before darting away, a blush beginning to deepen. “And I, uh – I'm worried about sleeping alone. Nightmares and such.”

Sorey was filled with a mixture of adoration over Mikleo's awkwardness and sadness over this words. He hadn't realised that Mikleo was still troubled by nightmares, but now he thought about it, it only seemed natural that he still had them.

A smile grew on Sorey's face, walking over and placing a hand on Mikleo's head to ruffle his hair. He didn't protest for once, eyes still on his feet. “Sure thing.”

Mikleo met his eyes then, smiling before walking into the bedroom, seeming to be in a hurry to settle down onto the bed, back turned from the other side.

“Don't do anything,” he ordered, voice muffled from a duvet being pulled up to his face. Sorey grinned, sliding into the bed and receiving a yelp when his fingers jabbed Mikleo's side. “I said _don't!”_

“Sorry, sorry,” Sorey laughed. His fingers trailed lightly on Mikleo's back. “Sleep well, Angel.”

The old name brought a smile to Mikleo's face, eyes fluttering closed, feeling at peace with Sorey's touch on his back. The two fell asleep fairly quickly, but as Mikleo had suspected, the peace didn't last once he was asleep.

The images in his mind were dark, broken, merely pieces of a puzzle which his mind tried to link together. All he could make out was a terrifying smirk, wicked eyes glinting, a voice which laughed cruelly as pain jolted through his body, as painful as it would be if this was happening for real –

He then woke with a start, shooting up as he panted, a cold sweat washed over his entire body. No matter what he told himself, that he was fine and completely safe, the panic wouldn't settle and his breathing stayed rapid. Hands buried into his hair with his wings wrapped around him protectively, tears stinging his eyes.

Then it all seemed to calm in an instant as he was pulled back down onto the bed, head resting against Sorey's bare chest. His hands laid down on the skin, sighing as a hand brushed through his hair, the other arm wrapped around his shoulders, firmly but comfortably so.

“Better now?” Sorey murmured. Mikleo nodded, breathing out deeply.

“Better.”

“It's a good job I'm here with you.”

Mikleo smiled, agreeing entirely. His head rolled to the side for comfort, allowing Sorey to lean down and place a kiss on his temple. His heart skipped a beat, unsure of whether he wanted to pull away or stay right where he was.

“What is this?” he ended up asking quietly. “What are we, Sorey?”

Sorey had no answer other than bringing Mikleo closer. Sighing over his uncertainty but feeling warm and protected from being this close to Sorey, his wings encased around them both, shielding them away from the harsh world as they fell back into a slumber. This time, it was entirely peaceful.

 

* * *

 

 

The following days brought a feeling of tension – not one which made them angry and argue with each other, but it certainly caused frustration. Waking up in each other's arms had felt so utterly natural, so _perfect_ that it terrified them both. They had simply laid there for a while upon waking, contemplating how the warmth of the other's body felt, appreciating the gentle, circular motions of fingers stroking skin. But they soon separated, because it only caused more pain to be so close.

It was as though they were destined to be together like this, yet fear of what the future held was diminishing that connection.

Regardless, one thing that _did_ brighten their moods was that Sorey had finally heard from Rose again by Thursday. There was little explanation in the message she sent, but it was still at least something.

_'I'm sorry for freaking out the other day. You probably really want to talk about it, but I don't think I can right now. I'm going to focus on looking after Alisha when we're both home. I might be fine to talk about it when she's better.'_

Whilst Sorey wanted to talk to her properly, he was satisfied enough with this. Alisha's illness was weighing down on both of their minds; the day back in work had seemed to impact her a lot, and she was now back at home again. Worry building up for her when she hadn't returned by Friday, he messaged Mikleo to let him know that he'd be home later than usual as he had decided to buy her some flowers and check up on her. He hoped that Rose didn't mind him being there. He was sure she wouldn't if he was there for Alisha, not to question Rose about anything.

He rang the doorbell at their front door, waiting for a while before Rose came to the door, slightly breathless from running through the house. Her hair was tangled and fairly messy.

“Oh, Sorey?” she greeted, looking surprised.

“I've brought these for Alisha,” he said, holding up the bouquet. Rose seemed very relieved at that statement, obviously wanting to avoid any conversation about the other day. She smiled, stepping to the side to let him enter.

“She'll appreciate that,” Rose said. After Sorey bent down to stoke the head of the girls' German Shepherd, he followed Rose up to the master bedroom. Her cheerful demeanour wasn't able to be maintained; she was biting her lip, looking anxious. “She's still not getting any better. A doctor came today, saying it was just an infection and gave her antibiotics, but I don't know… I guess I'm just worrying too much.”

Sorey felt guilty over those words. Rose was having to deal with this on top of what she went through the other day. He was starting to wish that he hadn't questioned her about her resonance, but what could he have done? Despite the resonance he had from childhood, a lot of which he couldn't remember, he had never met someone like her. Or at least, couldn't remember doing so after losing his memories of Mikleo. Having Rose be able to sense them too had felt as though it connected their two worlds.

Still, Rose wasn't saying anything about that day, seeming as though she was currently trying to forget it happened. She opened the door to the master bedroom, calling in softly.

“Alisha, babe? Sorey's here.”

“Oh, Sorey?” His heart sank at how her voice sounded weak, but he could at least hear happiness there.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” Sorey said, entering. His eyes fell on the figure lying in bed. She had a flannel over her forehead, her usually healthy, beautiful glow replaced by a ghostly paleness, the skin under her eyes dark. He held up the flowers with a slightly forced smile. “And I brought you these.”

“Oh, they're beautiful. There's a vase over there, if you want to put them in there.”

Sorey followed the direction of her pointed finger, placing the flowers into the vase before turning back around. “How are you feeling?” he ended up asking, feeling stupid immediately after saying so. But the question at least brought an amused smile to her face.

“Never better,” she joked, before sounding more serious. “I'll be fine, there's always _something_ going round. I'll be back on my feet before you know it.”

Sorey managed to feel more positive from her words, nodding and smiling himself. “That's good to hear. After all, I'm missing you out there!”

“And I miss you, too. Who have you been patrolling with instead?”

“Sergei,” he answered.

“Ah, that's a good team.” Alisha then sighed, looking apologetic. “I'm sorry, Sorey, but I should get some more sleep.”

“That's fine, don't worry about it! Rest up well, okay?”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

He and Rose left the room, door closing quietly behind them. Rose let out another sigh, running a hand through her hair, wincing as her fingers got trapped in knots.

“I really do hope she's back on her feet soon,” she said quietly. “I miss her usual self.”

Unsure of what to say, Sorey pulled her gently into a hug. She hesitated, before returning it, finding comfort in his warmth.

“I'm sorry I'm hiding what's wrong with me, too,” she murmured as she rested her head against his shoulder. “Really, I am.”

“It's okay, really! I don't want to pressure you at all.”

“You always were understanding.” She left the topic there, pulling away so she could lead him down the stairs. She lingered at the door as he walked down the path outside of their house, smiling when he turned at the gate to wave.

“Thank you for coming around,” she called.

“No worries!”

The front door then closed, Rose leaning with her back on it for a moment, a single tear trickling from one eye. She had no idea what to do about any of this.

 

* * *

 

 

Before long, it was Saturday, the day that Sorey, Mikleo and Lailah would be venturing out to Lastonbell to see if they were able to find Edna and Zaveid. Unlike Sorey being able to sneak Mikleo on the train to Pendrago, he thought simply driving there would be easier. It would take an hour and three quarters, but it was better to deal with that than getting _two_ angels on a train.

Both Sorey and Mikleo were surprised at Lailah's appearance when she turned up at Sorey's door on Saturday morning. Rather than the usual intricate outfit she wore, she was donned in a blouse and knee-length skirt, a pair of regular black pumps on her feet. Her hair fell down even further when not held up by a barrette – only a red laced headband decorated her hair.

“Surprised?” she asked as they stared, smiling. “I thought wearing my usual attire would get a little bit too bothersome during a long journey.”

“How did you even pay for that?” Mikleo asked, turning to Sorey. “Don't tell me that buying clothes is a regular thing you do for _every_ angel.”

“Nope, just you,” Sorey laughed, inspecting Mikleo's current outfit with appreciation for a moment – a fairly loose turquoise tank top and cropped white trousers, which hugged his body perfectly – before turning back to Lailah. “So where _did_ you get them from?”

“I bought them, silly.”

“But … you're an angel,” Mikleo stated, both him and Sorey puzzled.

“I sometimes receive money as offerings!”

“But they still can't _see_ you.”

“I take what I want and then place money in the till when no one is looking.”

Sorey contemplated these words. “I don't even know if that counts as stealing...”

Mikleo laughed. “You've stumped a police officer. Well done, Lailah.”

She smiled in amusement, before stepping over to Sorey's sword in a holster, leaning against the wall. She strapped it to her hip – it looked quite unfitting compared to the rest of her. “I'll carry this so no one sees it on you.”

The three ventured outside, Sorey scanning the area around them as they shuffled inside. Once Sorey started to drive down the road, Mikleo turned around to look at Lailah, looking slightly apologetic.

“Sorry, I'm used to getting in the front seat,” he said.

“Oh no, it's fine!” Lailah exclaimed, smiling. “Pretend I'm not even here. Just do whatever you do normally.”

“What is _that_ supposed to mean?”

“You mean like this?” Sorey asked, placing a hand down on Mikleo's thigh, just slightly higher than he had done so last time. Mikleo slapped it away immediately.

“ _Sorey!”_

“Yes, like that,” Lailah sang, eyes drifting to the window. “Just be yourselves.”

“We will!”

“I can assure you that our car journeys are utterly normal,” Mikleo said, looking out of the window with a huff. Now stopping at traffic lights, Sorey could turn to him, grinning.

“Much to Mikleo's dismay.”

“I swear, if you say or do _one_ more thing –”

“Help me, Lailah! He's scaring me!” His words halted when a splash of water hit his face, followed by a snort from Mikleo. “Not again. That's the third time this week.”

Lailah laughed lightly, watching as Sorey hurriedly wiped the water away with his T-shirt before he had to start driving again.

During the journey, her eyes repeatedly fell back on the pair. She couldn't help but notice that they seemed to be acting a little differently than usual. It was certainly not in a bad way; their guards just seemed to be lowered more, their teasing a little more meaningful. Was this because of the information she had told them the other day? Did they feel like they could be closer now they knew of their past? Or had this bond already been growing and she just hadn't seen the extent of it?

It seemed as though they would learn about the full story of their fate even without her telling them.

The journey passed fairly quickly, spirits high from their amusing bickering as they felt the sun wash over their faces, nibbling at a packet of toffees Sorey had brought along with them. Before long, they were arriving at Lastonbell, Mikleo's eyes widening in astonishment. Sorey grinned over his expression. He always loved how fascinated Mikleo became over their explorations.

“It's great, isn't it? It's pretty modern compared to Ladylake.”

“It doesn't compare,” Lailah said. Sorey and Mikleo exchanged a glance, looking amused.

“I think you're a _bit_ too protective over Ladylake, Lailah,” Mikleo commented, letting out a chuckle.

“Ladylake is superior! Though I do admit that Lastonbell is nice too. It's just somehow still not the bell of the ball.”

The two boys exchanged another glance. “Was that… One of her bad puns?” Sorey asked uncertainly, Mikleo merely shrugging in return.

He parked up the car, bought a ticket and placed it against the car window before glancing around the area.

“Sense anything?” he asked quietly. Both Lailah and Mikleo pondered over this, their faces concentrating.

“I think I do…” Lailah said slowly, before her eyes lit up. “Yes, most certainly!”

“It's definitely stronger than what I've felt before,” Mikleo added.

“That must mean it's both of them, not just this place's guardian angel,” Sorey grinned. “Come on, let's go look for them!”

Only Sorey's enthusiasm didn't quite reflect their success. They wandered around the city for two long hours, Mikleo and Lailah occasionally taking to the sky to scan the area. Each time, they landed back down, defeated.

“They've got to be _somewhere_ ,” Mikleo said as they entered an empty alleyway. “Otherwise we wouldn't be able to sense them. The church is down that way, how about we check there?”

Lailah nodded, Sorey watching as both of them flew upwards to perch on a building towering over the church. His mind wandered – if they weren't by a church, where else would they be? Where did one even search for two angels hunting a devil?

He was startled out of his trance by a scream from Mikleo, flying back above him.

“ _Sorey, behind you!”_

Sorey jumped around, watching a splash of water hit into a hellion which had been behind him. He immediately took out a knife which Lailah had fused to be able to purify, posed ready to attack, but as soon as he properly took in the hellion's appearance, he realised it wouldn't be enough. It was clearly a human under the malevolence taking over.

“The malevolence is stronger here than in Ladylake,” Mikleo said, now lowering down by Sorey's side. “I thought it felt uncomfortable here.” The hellion then began to step forward to them, Mikleo holding out his staff in front of Sorey. “Stand back, Sorey! She'll be here any second!”

He then held it out in front of him, posture perfectly calm even when the hellion picked up speed. _“Ice Reaver!”_ he shouted, not hesitating for even a moment as the shards of ice shot forward, hitting the hellion at a closer range as soon as it was hit. It barely had any time to counter, but eventually found its moment when Mikleo attempted to charge an arte. With a growl, it swiped at Mikleo, causing him to fly back and land on the floor.

“ _Mikleo!”_ Sorey shouted, fighting the hellion back with his knife. It might not have been as strong as the Sacred Blade, but it still managed to fight it off.

“I'm fine,” Mikleo gasped. “Just winded.”

“Sorey!” Lailah shouted from above them. She threw the Sacred Blade to Sorey as she got closer, who caught it and swiped it at the hellion, Lailah taking the chance to heal a wound on Mikleo's arm. He stared for a moment, having not noticed that it was bleeding. Whilst Lailah was still casting her arte, Mikleo held out his staff, shooting jets of water at the hellion. Sorey thanked him, managing to regain steady footing from Mikleo's distraction.

Now finished with her healing, Lailah was able to hold out her talismans, eyes focused. _“_ _Flare Vortex!”_ she shouted, the powerful flames directly hitting their target. The hellion fell to the floor, incredibly weakened by the fury of continuous attacks. After a combination from Lailah and Mikleo, Sorey finished the purification with slashes of his sword.

“It's a good job we purified her now,” Sorey said, looking down at a woman curled up on the floor. “The malevolence wasn't as strong as it could've been if she was left like that for longer.” He then placed his hands under her arms, gently easing her over to the edge of the alleyway. Upon doing so, he winced, grabbing at his side. When he pulled his hand away, he found that it was covered in blood. She must have caught his side during one of his attacks. Suddenly feeling light-headed, he stumbled onto one knee, vision blurring.

“Sorey!” Mikleo shouted, feeling a slight sting in his own side as he conjured his staff again and ran over to point it at Sorey, breathing out to calm his panic before casting his arte. “ _Resilient Aid.”_

Sorey sighed in relief as the blood faded alongside his pain, his spinning head returning to normal.

“Don't scare me like that,” Mikleo said, his panic only easing properly now Sorey had been healed.

“Sorry,” Sorey grinned sheepishly. “And thank you.”

“Don't mention it.” He held a hand out to Sorey to help him to his feet before walking over to the woman, holding a hand over her unconscious form. As a blue light formed around her, brown eyes slowly opened, looking confused.

“Wh-What...” she said, sitting up. “How did I...”

“You okay?” Sorey asked, offering her his hand. “Can you stand?”

She nodded, taking his hand with a thank you. She didn't say much else; her confused expression remained as she walked away, mumbling something about having too much to drink.

“Well well, so _this_ is the Shepherd!”

All three of their heads shot up at a man's voice coming from the builds above them, eyes squinting against the sunlight and not quite being able to make out their silhouettes. However, the voice apparently meant something to Lailah, who was smiling.

“There you are! We've been looking for you.”

Two angels dropped down in front of them, the difference in their heights startling. One was a man with long hair, the colour the same as Dezel's had been. He grinned, eyes the colour of topaz reflecting it. He had a confident demeanour, with his hands placed on his hips, the lack of a shirt revealing defined muscle, white tattoos, and a metal necklace resting against the tanned skin of his collarbone.

To his side was a very small girl under five foot, holding onto an umbrella shielding her from the intense sun. Her outfit was unusual; mostly feminine from her white dress with a peach gradient, ribbons extending from a bow on her dress, ribbons wrapped around her small legs and also in her blonde hair pulled up into a side ponytail. But the rest included a brown glove on one hand and large, chunky boots, appearing as though they surely couldn't have been hers.

“It's been a while, Lailah,” she said, pulling up an orange strap onto her shoulder, only for it to soon fall back off as her eyes fell on Mikleo. “And you too, Meebo.”

He had no time to question this nickname before the man he assumed to be Zaveid grinned, throwing an arm around Sorey's shoulders as though they had known each other for years.

“Finally, I get to meet him!” he exclaimed. “There's been rumours, but I didn't know for sure that you were hanging around.”

“Uh, yeah, I am,” Sorey responded awkwardly, seeming relieved when Zaveid let go of him.

“What about it, Edna?” Zaveid asked, resting his arm on her head, causing a scowl to form on her face. He glanced between Sorey and Mikleo, smirking. “Don't they look like they belong together or what?”

“Meebo bottoms,” she answered simply.

“Excuse me, I'd appreciate you _not_ deciding on my sexual preferences!” Mikleo exclaimed, feeling heat rise up to his face and shooting a glare at both Sorey and Lailah. The first turned away, shoulders shaking from laughter, whilst Lailah's hands covered her mouth, laughing just as much. He rolled his eyes, shifting his gaze back to Edna. “And why are you calling me that, anyway?”

Edna looked at him with confusion, pushing Zaveid's arm off her head. “It hasn't been _that_ long since we last saw each other.”

“You feeling okay, Mikky-Boy?” Zaveid asked, his tone light, but there was a degree of concern in his eyes. Mikleo swallowed, realising that these nicknames and personal way of speaking meant that they definitely must have been close.

Lailah saw his sadness and decided to speak up for him. “Mikleo lost his memories somewhere along the way to Earth.”

A silence fell, neither Edna nor Zaveid knowing what to do with this information. Moments passed before Edna held down her umbrella, closing it. She walked over, hitting Mikleo lightly on the head.

“Stupid Meebo,” she mumbled, her head lowered.

“You don't remember anything about us?” Zaveid questioned, frowning.

“Well, I might recognise your voices, but I don't know...”

“Mikleo does start to remember things after time,” Lailah said, trying to bring positivity to the situation. “Perhaps if he is given time with you two as well as me, he will remember us.” Her eyes grew upset, and they closed. “Though it is taking a while.”

“That's why we've come to ask for your help,” Sorey spoke up, all eyes landing on him. “We need to get to Heaven to see if they know anything that's happened and if it can help restore his memories.”

“Let me guess, you're gathering the elements?” Edna questioned, Sorey nodding in response.

“We know that you're earth and wind, so –”

“I can't right now,” Edna interrupted. She looked guilty, trying to hide her face by turning her head to the side. “I want to, I really do. But there's something I have to do first.”

“The devil?” Mikleo asked. Edna nodded. “But surely someone else can –”

“It has to be us. There's no other way.”

Edna's hands clenched into fists, only relaxing slightly when Zaveid rested his hand on her thin shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.

“No one else can?” Sorey asked. Edna shook her head.

“I don't want the chance of him being hurt more than necessary.”

Both Sorey and Mikleo's eyes widened at how personal the statement sounded, glancing at Lailah, who had bowed her head.

“What...” Mikleo started, before his words drifted off.

“The devil is my old friend,” Zaveid said, voice much more serious than it had been previously.

“And my older brother,” Edna added quietly, raising her head to look at Sorey and Mikleo, her face blank. “Eizen.”

“Brother?” Sorey repeated quietly, pain stabbing at his chest. Edna nodded.

“One day, he left without a word. Next time I saw him, he was completely taken over by malevolence.” She paused, turning to Zaveid for a moment. “Zaveid's taken the duty of murdering devils. So I'm travelling with him now to find Eizen.”

“Surely there must be _some_ way to purify him?”

“There's not, Sorey,” Lailah spoke up, voice a little low. She gulped. “Devils can never go back to how they once were. To be so pure, only to fall into darkness… There's no turning back from that. After all, it is much easier to be tempted by evil than good.”

“But...”

“Sorey,” Mikleo said quietly, resting his hand on Sorey's arm. “Please don't try to do anything reckless. I don't want you to throw your life away over something which can't be helped.”

Sorey stared at him for a moment, before letting out a sigh. “This is really something that even the Shepherd can't fix, isn't it?”

Edna nodded. Her face remained blank, but there was no mistaking the distress in her eyes. “I've tried for so long to bring him back. Calling out to him, begging for the help of old Shepherds, finding angels who can purify… I tried _everything_ I could to stop his malevolence. But it's no use. He doesn't even hear my voice.”

“That's why I want to deal with him as soon as possible,” Zaveid said, resting his hand on a gun attached to him. “So Edna doesn't have to deal with this pain any more.”

Sorey was silent for a moment, taking in their words and trying to accept them. He swallowed before speaking again. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Mikleo was shaking his head. “Sorey, don't –”

“Don't worry, I don't mean purifying,” Sorey said, forcing a smile. “I mean so… So Zaveid can do what he has to do.”

Edna seemed slightly surprised. “You can form a pact with me,” she suggested. “Then we can lend each other our power. After all, if Meebo trusts you, then I do as well.”

Sorey's smile grew genuine. “It'd be great to have you on board.”

For a moment, Edna seemed to smile back. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “Just know, Shepherd, that dealing with a devil is dangerous. It's not like dealing with just another hellion. Your fighting might be good, but you still don't have that much experience. You might not be ready.”

Sorey nodded. “I know that. But I don't want this to drag out for you any longer than it needs to. It's not just about receiving your help – I really just want to help you, too."

The smile returned on her face briefly. “Idiot. You really do have the traits of a Shepherd, don't you?” She received a grin in reply, before she turned to Lailah, holding out her hand. “I guess there's no better way to get stronger by going into combat. Shall we?”

Lailah nodded, the others backing away as she took Edna's hand into her own, both of their eyes closing as Lailah spoke out the words of their pact. A yellow light shone around them, much like it had done for Mikleo. Before long, there was the same feeling as there had been previously, that a bond was now connecting them to the small angel.

“That's that. I'll contact Lailah through the pact if we find Eizen.” Her eyes seemed to grow softer. “I promise that as soon as you've helped me with him, I'll help you both in return.” She turned to Mikleo, her voice shaking for a split second. “After all, I need you to remember me, Meebo.”

Mikleo smiled sadly. He needed to remember them both, too. He yearned for the memories of their clear friendship, which he was already missing deeply despite having no clue what it had felt like.

“I'll be staying in Lastonbell for now,” she continued. “I'm… Tired. I don't want to travel.” The word 'tired' seemed to be more mental than physical, which was entirely understandable. Sorey nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder gently for a moment. Though she tried not to show it, she seemed comforted by the touch.

“That's fine. I'll be transferring here soon anyway.”

“Hopefully you can travel once you're here, too,” said Zaveid.

“How come?”

“There's more malevolence here in Rolance than there is in Hyland,” was the reply. “We're thinking that the presence of Eizen somewhere in the country is contributing to it. So you might want to think about travelling more than once.”

Mikleo turned to Sorey, looking concerned over the thought of Sorey quitting his job. “You _can_ do that, right?” he asked. Sorey smiled, nodding.

“It's fairly easy to travel around Rolance,” he said. “Plus, transfers are much more normal here than in Ladylake. It's quite normal to be requested around here. They'd probably appreciate the help.”

“Then I'll be seeing you soon, Shepherd.” A smirk tugged on Edna's lips as she cast her eyes to Mikleo. “And you too, pretty boy.”

“Can you call me by my _name,_ please?”

“Nope.”

Sorey laughed, throwing his arm around Mikleo's shoulders. “Come on then, pretty boy, let's go home!”

“Don't _you_ start as well!”

Lailah laughed lightly, bowing her head to Edna and Zaveid. “It is wonderful to see you again.”

“You too, Lailah,” Zaveid said, smirking as he edged slightly closer. “Maybe next time we could meet up somewhere _private – EDNA!”_

She had hit him in the face with her umbrella. “Don't be disgusting.” She turned to Mikleo, who was still bickering with Sorey. “Meebo?”

“Yeah?” he said, pushing Sorey away, who had been trying to reach for his sides.

“Sort out how love struck you are.”

Mikleo blinked. “What?”

“It's so obvious even without everything considered. Both of you, I mean.” She cast a glance between them. “I've never seen you with eyes yearning so much.”

“But –”

“Next time I see you, make sure you're not so troubled by it. All right?”

Mikleo barely had time to think of an answer before her and Edna left without another word, Zaveid simply waving to them over his shoulder.

“We should get going, then,” Lailah said brightly, as though Edna's words weren't anything special to her. Mikleo nodded slowly, glancing at Sorey frequently as they walked. He seemed to be just as lost in thought as Mikleo was.

To ignore their fears or let it take over – those were the two options for them.

 

* * *

 

 

The journey back to Ladylake was fairly quiet, a stark contrast to how their journey to Lastonbell had been. Their minds were taken over with replays of their encounter with Edna and Zaveid and what they had been told; the task that they were forced to deal with, how Eizen had been incredibly close to both of them, Edna's words to Mikleo before they left… They were glad to have found the two angels, but they still got caught up in their thoughts.

Apparently, Lailah was in agreement with Edna, but in a less straightforward way. She declined the offer from Sorey for Lailah to join them for dinner later that evening, seeming as though she wanted both of them to be alone. This was confirmed for Mikleo when Sorey stopped by Ladylake's church and Lailah leaned over to Mikleo before getting out of the car, hands resting on the back of his seat.

“Speak to him,” she whispered simply, before she directed a smile at Sorey and thanked him. She left the car without another word, leaving Sorey and Mikleo in silence as they continued their journey home. They had returned several moments later, still silent as they walked up to Sorey's apartment. Soon, the silence felt far too tense, and Sorey broke it with a grin.

“A lot's happened lately, but I'm glad that we've gotten somewhere quickly!” he exclaimed. “How do you feel about it?”

Mikleo smiled. “Definitely positively. After our struggles and everything, it's nice that things are working out for us.”

“It definitely is, and you deserve that more than anyone.”

“As do you.” There was a pause, Mikleo pursing his lips nervously. “Sorey, can we sit down?”

“Um, sure,” Sorey replied, seeming a little hesitant. They both sat down on the sofa, Mikleo's eyes looking down. He was unable to meet Sorey's gaze when his heart was beginning to beat faster. “What is it?”

Despite being the one to initiate conversation, Mikleo couldn't reply for a moment. He swallowed, urging words to come to him. “I… I don't really know how to put this.” He cast a glance at Sorey before it shot straight back down to his hands again. “I'm sure...” There was a pause, Mikleo's voice growing quieter. “I'm sure that… Well, you know that I – I feel…” Mikleo's words stopped again so he could inhale and exhale deeply, before changing the course of his words. “You mean a lot to me, Sorey. And I don't just mean because I'm your guardian angel – or at least, I was supposed to be.”

Sorey was simply going to let Mikleo speak for a moment, but decided that perhaps words would encourage him. “You do to me, too. You've probably already realised that by now.”

Mikleo managed to smile, meeting Sorey's gaze for a moment, before his face seemed to fall a little. “But… How much I care for you, how strongly I appreciate you... It hurts, Sorey. It's not meant to, and it wouldn't if I was human. But just knowing that –” He swallowed, unable to finish that sentence. “I wish I was alive,” he ended up whispering. “So it didn't have to be this way.”

A silence fell, one in which Sorey held onto Mikleo's hand and squeezed it, knowing exactly what Mikleo meant. When he noticed that Mikleo's lips trembled, as though tears were threatening to fall any moment, Sorey leaned over to kiss the side of his head gently, feeling Mikleo's body relax from the touch, the hand in Sorey's grasping on less tightly.

Words seemed to come to him naturally, his emotions needing to be heard. “We can still try, Mikleo,” he said quietly. “Doesn't this feel natural to you?”

“It does, and that's what hurts more.” Despite his words, he didn't pull his hand away. “It's – it's not as simple as us throwing away our doubts and ignoring them.”

“I know,” Sorey said quietly. “I'm sorry.”

Mikleo shook his head. “Don't apologise. This isn't your fault.”

The room was silent once again, quiet enough for them to hear each other's breathing. It was fairly deep, worked up from their emotions. Being able to hear their breathing allowed Sorey to pick up on when Mikleo's became more irregular, matching how his body seemed to be trembling slightly. Sorey lifted the hand he was holding to his mouth to kiss it, and from that kiss, Mikleo couldn't take the situation anymore. With a choked gasp of breath came the falling of a first tear, before others followed. Sorey released Mikleo's hand to embrace him, arms wrapping around his body as hands rested on his chest. He could find no words, only able to comfortingly stroke the angel's back – he couldn't say anything because he was sure that if he would use his voice, he'd be crying, too.

He wasn't sure how long they had sat there for, each minute of Mikleo's shaking body breaking his heart more as time went on, before Mikleo pulled away. It wasn't completely – his hands were still resting on Sorey's chest, their eyes meeting.

But Mikleo couldn't bear the eye contact for long, a hand covering his face as it lowered. In a breathless, heartbroken voice came a sentence which struck agony in Sorey's chest.

“Why does it have to be so terrifying to be in love with you?”

His body was brought back to Sorey, head buried into his shoulder. His breathing seemed to calm slightly at the feel of a hand running through his hair, a protective arm around his back. Blinking back tears but certain that a couple may have fell, Sorey kissed his head, wanting to do everything in his power to stop the trembling.

“Even if it's terrifying,” he eventually said quietly, “I'd still never deny that I love you, too.”

A silence much more comfortable than the last fell from those words, their deep meaning burying inside Mikleo's heart. He swallowed, trying to take control of his tears, eyes closed as his head turned so it was resting lightly against Sorey. He breathed out deeply, unsure of whether he felt worsening fear over Sorey's words or if he felt joy. Perhaps it was a contradictory combination of both.

With a fair amount of reluctance, he settled back away from Sorey, arm wiping at his tears. He managed to let out a small laugh, eyes meeting Sorey's for a moment before looking to the side, a hand rubbing his neck.

“We've definitely gotten ourselves into a right mess.”

Sorey laughed himself, both amused and hurt over that statement. “Yeah.”

“It's just … impossible.” Mikleo let out a sigh, smile fading. “I mean, how would a relationship between a human and angel even work? I mean, I'm...” His words faded.

“I know. I've been thinking about it for a while.”

Mikleo's head lowered, turning slightly more away from Sorey. “Yet, I still...” He let out another laugh – this time, it was nervous. It took him a few moments to speak again. “Is… Is it so wrong that despite all of this, I want you to kiss me, even if it's just once?”

Those words brought no hesitation. Sorey's hand reached over to Mikleo's face, holding his chin. His fingers gently brought it around, lifting it up so their eyes met again.

“It's not wrong at all,” Sorey murmured quietly. His thumb ran over Mikleo's bottom lip, which quivered slightly from the touch. This time, there was no backing away. Slowly, Sorey closed the gap between them, the one which had seemed impossible to overcome. His lips pressed against Mikleo's, an electrifying spark shooting through them from the contact. A wave of heat unlike anything Mikleo had ever felt spread from his lips to his face; with an arm wrapped around his waist to bring him closer, the warmth seemed to envelope his whole body. He allowed himself to be overcome by this heat, glistening eyes fluttering closed as he lost himself in the kiss, arms wrapping themselves around Sorey's neck.

With this movement caused Sorey to move closer, legs pushed against each other, yearning to close the space between them, the arm around Mikleo's waist growing tighter. A shiver ran through his body from the hold, feeling it becoming weaker as his mind grew more lost. It felt as though nothing else mattered but this. An involuntary, muffled whimper escaped him from Sorey deepening the kiss – he could only guess that it was from desperation, from how much he was yearning for this to never end. If only he could stay like this forever, to not be faced with any other pain, protected in his hold that would bring them both unfathomable happiness.

But Sorey pulled back eventually despite being the one to initiate the kiss, both of them breathing deeply.

“Sorey,” Mikleo whined softly. “I didn't want you to _stop.”_

“I just thought you might have wanted a moment to breathe,” Sorey chuckled softly, the hand on Mikleo's chin moving to cup his face gently. Sorey smiled as he ran a thumb over the flushed skin. “You're so cute,” he commented, smile growing at Mikleo shifting his eyes to the side from those words. “I know you said 'just once', but can I kiss you again?”

Mikleo nodded, moving his gaze back, welcoming Sorey's lips with just as much adoration as before, kissing back with loving tenderness. Sorey's hand buried itself in Mikleo's hair, stroking strands away gently. Mikleo smiled into their kiss, the arms around Sorey bringing him closer, wings encasing around them. Unguarded and in a world away from reality, Mikleo wasn't prepared for the cheerful voice of a young child to resound in his head.

“ _Mikleo? That's a cool name! I'm Sorey!”_

Caught by surprise, Mikleo pulled away from Sorey suddenly, arms around his neck shifting so his hands rested on Sorey's shoulders. Glimpses of the past flashed through his mind – faded, but most certainly there.

“I'm starting to remember,” Mikleo whispered, one of his hands reaching to his mouth. "I'm remembering _us_ , Sorey!"

His eyes landed on Sorey, waiting for his reaction. He didn't receive words, but he didn't have to – he could tell immediately what was running through Sorey's mind. His eyes were as wide as saucers, surprised but filled with joy, just like Mikleo's. He was remembering, too. 

Letting out a delighted laugh, Mikleo threw his arms back around Sorey, causing them to fall down onto the sofa side-by-side. Tears were returning to their eyes, only this time, they were much less negative, the falling of them welcome. Neither were sure how much time had passed as they laid there, overwhelmed with emotions caused by their returning memories. The start of everything, the beginning of their bond – it was all there, returning to them in small yet hopeful fragments.

Perhaps everything wasn't so lost for them after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your frustrations have been calmed. You're welcome.
> 
> Thank you for reading, please feel free to leave a comment if you have time! It would be very much appreciated after how long it took to write and proofread this. Until next week!


	15. Eyes of Malevolence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of remembering their past together allows Sorey and Mikleo to begin accepting their love for each other. Meanwhile, they return to Lastonbell after Edna gives word to Lailah about the increase in malevolence around the area, suspecting that she will be seeing her brother again at long last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I edited this chapter a couple of times; I think being busy had made me paranoid. Hopefully it's now up to a satisfying standard. Enjoy!

The little boy shivered at cold air hitting against him, the chilling temperature of a day in January intense for a body so small. The park he loved suddenly seemed terrifying, yet no one was really paying attention; the place was fairly empty, and those who _did_ pass him by were too caught up in their own lives to pay attention to a lost, frightened child.

He sniffled, regretting his journey out here, but with a sick father at home, it was really no wonder that he sometimes needed to escape from it. Seeing his mother's worry and his father's pale face was cruel for someone at just five-years-old.

Still, despite managing to find his way to the park, he couldn't remember how he would get back after. His teeth nibbled at his thumbnail out of nerves, tears welling in his eyes. Wouldn't _anyone_ stop? Did they see him at all, or was he just invisible to them? Much too shy to call out to them, he began to accept that no one would stop, and began to attempt to make his way back from where he came. However, a voice of a child soon called out to him, footsteps thumping against the ground.

“Hey!”

The little boy stopped, turning around with wide, frightened eyes. They landed on a boy about the same age as he was, somewhat taller with much messier hair, the strands a little darker than his own brown. His green eyes shone with life, large and curious.

“Are you lost?” he asked, receiving a nod and sniffle in reply. “Do you know where your mummy is?”

“Home,” the boy responded, arm rubbing at a couple of tears which fell. He kept it there as he let out a couple of sobs, embarrassed and wanting to muffle them. “I don't know how to get back.”

“Hey, don't cry! It's gonna be okay!” A hand brought the boy's arm down so he was able to see a huge smile. “I'll help you. What's your name?”

“Mikleo,” he mumbled in reply, which only seemed to make the other boy's smile grow further.

“Mikleo? That's a cool name! I'm Sorey!” Sorey took hold of his hand, pointing further down the path. “My parents are just down here, okay? We'll help you get home.”

With a nod in response, Mikleo allowed Sorey to lead him down the path, having to walk faster than usual to keep up with Sorey's energetic steps. His tears were beginning to dry now, feeling a lot safer from being granted company as cheerful as this.

“Mum, dad?” he called, waving to two adults sat down on a bench; a woman with blonde hair, and a man with brown. “I'm back!”

“Did you feed the ducks?” his mother asked, smiling.

“Yup!”

“And who is this?” his father asked, looking at Mikleo. He gave him a reassuring smile when he backed away slightly, not able to do so more due to Sorey holding onto him.

“This is Mikleo!” Sorey introduced, his spare hand waving to him. “He's gotten lost.”

“Oh dear, that isn't good,” Sorey's mother said, crouching down in front of Mikleo.

“His mum's back home,” Sorey informed her.

“Then we'd best get you back. Do you know where you live, Mikleo?”

“It's down that way,” Mikleo said, pointing east. “The houses are a bit big, with gardens and such.”

The woman smiled. “I know where you mean. We'll take you there.” She turned to her son, knowing how much he loved to help people and wanting to involve him as much as possible. “Keep holding his hand so we don't lose him, okay?”

“Okay!”

Sorey and Mikleo soon followed the two parents out of the park and ventured left, continuing down before taking a right down a street, finding the houses that Mikleo had described. Mikleo's eyes grew happier over finding them, the panic which had been inside him calming down.

“Do you know which number it is?” Sorey's father asked.

“Um… Thirty-six.”

A minute later, they had pushed the gate open and walked up the path, choosing to ring the doorbell so no one was startled by the door opening. Moments later, a woman opened the door, her brown hair tied back into a ponytail.

“Can I help you?” she asked, smiling.

“Your son must have gotten out without you realising,” said Sorey's mother, turning to Sorey leading Mikleo up to the house, who had became nervous over getting into trouble.

“Oh, Mikleo!” Muse scolded. “I've told you not to go running off.” She turned to the woman next to her, smiling apologetically. “I'm sorry for the trouble. His father is sick, so he gets a little restless and panicked.”

“No need to apologise!”

“Sorey here was the one who found him anyway,” his father said, smiling down at his son.

“Thank you, Sorey,” Muse said kindly. “That was very good of you.”

“It's nothing!” Sorey exclaimed, watching as Mikleo walked up to the house, mumbling an apology to his mother.

“Hopefully we see you around,” Muse said, patting her son on the head.

“I'm sure we will,” Sorey's mother responded, waving as they walked back down the path. Sorey grinned at Mikleo.

“Count on me to save you if you need help again!” he said enthusiastically.

“I'm sure he can. Can't you, Mikleo?” Muse asked, looking down at her son. He shifted behind her legs a little, grabbing onto them and hiding half of his face shyly.

“Yeah,” he mumbled. Even with the quiet response, Sorey was satisfied. He bounded up the path to return to his parents, Mikleo smiling at Sorey waving with both hands before the family made their way back down the street.

It was a meeting which surely wouldn't be their last. After Muse bumped into Sorey's parents in a grocery store a day soon after this, she was told that Sorey hadn't stopped babbling about her son. Apparently, he seemed very fond over him already, saying that he wanted to know how he was doing. Mikleo had been rather similar, although in a much calmer, shyer way. He had asked his mother if there was a chance he'd see Sorey again, hiding his mouth with a plush dolphin as he did so. Muse smiled and stroked his hair, telling him that it they would definitely meet again. She rang the number that had been given to her, asking if they wanted to arrange a day for them to meet.

“What about Sorey's house?” Muse asked her son standing by her feet. He shook his head. “Ours?” He nodded this time, apparently feeling braver about being in a place where Muse was. She smiled, combing her fingers through his hair. “Mikleo is more comfortable with ours. Would that be all right? Ah, wonderful! This weekend? All right, I'll note down 1:00pm… I'll be seeing you, then.”

“This weekend?” Mikleo asked.

“Yes, on Saturday,” Muse smiled. “Are you excited?”

She received a nod in return, as well as a shy smile. “Yeah.” Despite his quietness, he was enthusiastic inside over seeing Sorey again.

That Saturday, Sorey had been greeted at the front door by Muse, Mikleo smiling behind her. As Sorey entered, Muse urged Mikleo forward. He was looking down nervously at the floor, shuffling in his shoes and holding something behind his back.

“Well, mum bakes,” he mumbled. “I watch her and she let me help her this time.” He held out a plate of small fairy cakes, head lowered with brown strands of hair covering his face. “I want to say thank you. I – I hope you like them.”

“Woah!” Sorey exclaimed, bouncing on the spot as he stared down at them. “For me?!”

“For both of you to share whilst you play together,” Muse chuckled.

“Can I have one now?” Sorey asked her, eyes lighting up when she nodded. He took one with blue icing, biting into it. He let out an appreciative sound, swallowing before grinning wildly. “These are really good!”

“Mum did most of it,” Mikleo mumbled, unsure of how to react to the praise.

“Now now, Mikleo, you're going to grow up to be a great chef one day,” Muse smiled, patting his head. He finally looked up from the touch, smiling at her. “Why don't you go show Sorey where your room is? I'll bring some juice.”

“Okay,” he nodded before leading Sorey up to his bedroom as Muse poured the juice into coloured plastic cups; blue for Mikleo, red for Sorey. From the way the two boys had been around each other already, she could tell that this was the start of a beautiful friendship between them. And she was correct, perhaps knowing from almost the start that this bond between them would lead to something greater. The only thing she wouldn't have been able to know was what exactly it would bring; forbidden, overpowering love with endless strings attached, the most incredible combination of joy and agony brought along with it.

 

* * *

 

 

In the present, the two of them woke up from fragments of these memories with a smile on their faces. Sorey peered down at Mikleo's head resting against his chest when he heard a yawn, smiling and planting a kiss on his head.

“Morning,” he said softly. He received a hum in response, Mikleo sliding up so he was sat to the side of Sorey. He yawned again, hand rubbing at his eyes.

“Good morning,” he eventually replied, brushing his fringe back from his face, leaving his circlet on show.

“You're beautiful when you've just woken up.”

Mikleo hesitated for a moment, before turning away to hide his face, feet ready to slide off the bed. “So I'm not beautiful anyway?”

“I didn't say that,” Sorey said with a laugh, sitting up himself and shuffling closer to Mikleo. “Come on, I'm off work today. Want to stay here for a bit?”

“I – I have other things to do.”

“Someone's just embarrassed,” Sorey teased, resting his head on Mikleo's shoulder, back still turned to him.

“I'm not,” Mikleo huffed. Then his body relaxed, a sigh released from him. “I still don't really know where we stand.”

“Well, we _did_ kiss...”

“I know that, but –” Mikleo hesitated, trying to find the right words. “But… I don't know. Sometimes feelings aren't enough to make things work out. With how we are, this would only work as a temporary thing, and...”

“You don't want it to be temporary,” Sorey finished for him, receiving a nod in return. Frowning, Sorey shuffled forward so his legs were either side of Mikleo, pulling him into a hug, his back pressed against Sorey's torso. Sorey buried his head into Mikleo's hair, voice muffled when he spoke again. “I don't either.”

“I don't know whether us starting to remember our life together is benefiting us or if it's just making things worse,” Mikleo said. “Did you dream about us, too?”

“Yeah, I did. Just little bits about how we met.” Sorey grinned, resting his chin on top of Mikleo's head. “You even got embarrassed around me at the age of five.”

“Don't you dare start with that. I was just shy. Don't compare that to me _now.”_

“Awh, but it's not a bad thing.” Sorey tightened his grip under Mikleo's arms, turning him around so he sat sideways on Sorey's lap. “It's cute. I like it.”

Mikleo huffed again, hiding his face in Sorey's shoulder. “Idiot.”

“I expected a splash of water in the face for that,” Sorey commented, twirling Mikleo's strands of hair in his fingers.

“Not this time.” There was another pause before Mikleo straightened back up. He didn't move off Sorey, though looked down at his hands, not meeting his gaze. “As much as I want to carry on like this –”

“So you _do_ want to?” Sorey grinned. Mikleo flushed, quickly changing the course of his words.

“I-I mean, I'm just… Just sat here because you want me to. But the point is that the question still stands about us.”

“I know. But for now, can we just live in the moment? Even if it's just for today?”

Mikleo paused, not knowing how to answer but realising that there was only one way he wanted to. He cupped Sorey's face with his hands, resting their foreheads against each other.

“Maybe just one day,” he said quietly. Sorey smiled, simply appreciating their closeness for a while before tilting his head to meet Mikleo's lips. It caused the exact same spark as the night before, making both of them realise that if this was how their kisses would feel each time, they never wanted to let them go. The sweetness, the tenderness – it was too beautiful for words.

Mikleo pulled away before long, despite how much he wanted to stay there. “We should at least have breakfast.”

“Maybe in a minute,” Sorey said, pulling Mikleo closer to him with a smile. “But you said we can at least have this one day, so you're my prisoner today. I'm not letting you go.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes. “ _Such_ an idiot.” Despite his words, he placed a soft kiss on Sorey's cheek. “Really though, I want food.”

“Fine, fine,” Sorey sighed. He scooped his arm under Mikleo's knees to lift him, quite obviously lingering for a moment before placing him on the ground.

“I could have gotten off myself.”

“Yeah, but I like carrying you,” Sorey smiled, patting Mikleo's head. “I've carried weights heavier than you are.”

“I hate you so much.” Mikleo began walking across the room, tightening the drawstrings of the pair of Sorey's sweatpants he was wearing. Sorey's smile turned into a smirk, following close behind Mikleo.

“I, too, kiss the people I hate.” He laughed as he dodged a jet of water sent over Mikleo's shoulder, having completely accepted that it was going to happen.

In the kitchen, Mikleo poured batter in a pan to start making pancakes for them both. Sorey stood to watch rather than sit down, smiling fondly as he leaned against the counter. There was happiness whilst watching Mikleo, yet also sadness. Now more than ever, this scene felt much more domestic. It was like a game of pretend – both playing a part and forgetting about their troubles, yet knowing that they weren't like a real couple in the slightest. That word hadn't even been applied to them yet.

Sorey's sadness diminished as a thought came across his mind. When Mikleo gripped the handle of the frying pan tighter, ready to flip it into the air, Sorey took a long step towards him and pressed his lips behind his ear. He yelped in surprise, the pancake sent flying, though with a stumble not matching his usual grace, he managed to catch it. He shot a glare at Sorey, blowing strands of hair which had fallen into his eyes.

“Do you mind?”

“Not particularly.”

Mikleo sighed, moving the batter around the pan. “When I agreed to one day, I didn't mean –” His words trailed off. “I don't even know what I meant by that. You do realise how much it'll hurt if we forget about everything today and then worry again tomorrow, right?”

“I know. I'm sorry, I just… I just wanted to make the most of it for now.”

“Don't apologise. I'm just straightforward about things this serious.” Mikleo slid the pancake onto a plate. “For you.”

“Thank you, but I'll wait until yours are done,” Sorey smiled. “And yeah, I'm glad you're like that. It keeps me serious.”

“Trust me though, Sorey,” Mikleo said quietly. “I want to throw all my doubts away for you, too.”

The silence which fell between them soon disappeared when they sat down together to eat, their laughter returning, finding comfort in the brushing of their legs against each other. Their peace was disrupted eventually by the doorbell ringing. Feeling curious, Sorey slid off his stool with curiosity and made his way to the lounge, grabbing a T-shirt to throw over his bare torso before opening the door. Lailah stood there, back to her usual intricate dress.

“Good morning, Sorey,” she greeted. “I hope I'm not being a burden.”

“Not at all! Come on in.” They walked over to the kitchen, where Mikleo looked up with a smile.

“Hey, Lailah,” he greeted. “Everything all right?”

“Well – not completely, actually,” she said with a small sigh, sliding into the spare stool.

“What's up?” Sorey asked, concern quick to rise.

“I'm afraid to say that Mason has now passed,” she said, closing her eyes. “I thought you may want to know.”

“I was hoping it wouldn't be this soon,” Sorey responded sadly, eyebrows furrowing. “How did he die?”

“It's another mysterious death,” she said. “The same kind of situation as Mikleo. Organs failing suddenly after a collapse. I hadn't known, considering I had been away and Dezel doesn't tend to visit the church. I'm surprised that I managed to sense his death earlier, when I couldn't with Mikleo's until he was in hospital… Unless Mason was supposed to die anyway and his life was taken before it was meant to."

“So you think his was also deliberate?”

“There can't be any other way with a death like that,” Mikleo contributed. “ _Especially_ if it's the same kind of situation as with me.”

“That's what I was thinking,” said Lailah, letting out a sigh. “It's all going so wrong with demons as of late. It must be because of the hellion ruling over them.”

“But why would they kill Mason?” Sorey questioned. “I could see why they would with...” His words trailed off, closing his eyes for a moment before continued. “With Mikleo, because of his role in my life. But why Mason?”

“My guess is that they were hoping that the death of a priest would help taint people with malevolence, due to the fear of losing one who guided them. They likely wanted Ladylake to return to its previous state,” she explained. “Luckily, this hasn't been the case, and a new priest is already stepping in. They can't exactly kill this one, either; they know that meddling with lives will put themselves in danger, due to those disagreeing with them making sure they are stopped, this including fellow demons. Plus, it takes a lot of magic power to meddle with a human life so directly. Doing so consistently would leave them vulnerable.”

“We have to stop them from doing this,” Mikleo said quietly. “They have no right to juggle lives in their hands.”

“I can assure you that once we've returned to Heaven, I'll tell them of this,” Lailah responded. “Luckily, not all demons see this as right. If we're lucky, fellow demons of these criminals will stop them.”

“Stopping them isn't enough,” Sorey muttered, casting a glance at Mikleo, who stared at him in confusion. Apparently, Lailah understood perfectly what he meant.

“I want you to not kill _anyone_ , Sorey,” she said calmly. “Even demons. They might be unable to be purified from malevolence, as their existence is needed, but they were still once human. A demon is just as human as an angel is. I don't want you to damage your purity from that.”

“All right,” Sorey said slowly. “I just… When I think about the possibility of meeting the demon who killed Mikleo, I –”

“Become angry, I know. Furious, even. But you mustn't let that control you.”

Sorey nodded in understanding, though his expression was still a little dark. Mikleo decided to try to shift the conversation, smiling at Lailah.

“Would you like pancakes yourself, Lailah?” he asked. She nodded, hands joining together enthusiastically.

“Please!”

She watched as Mikleo slid off the stool, eyes widening a little in surprise when Sorey grabbed onto his wrist, causing him to turn around.

“Sorey?” he asked, receiving no words in reply, only his wrist being released. Apparently, Sorey had only wanted to look at Mikleo's eyes, as though they were helping to ground him. As Mikleo walked over and poured batter into the pan, Sorey's eyes continued to watch him for a moment before he looked down at the surface beneath his arms, resting his head into his hand. Lailah opened her mouth, wondering if she should say something, but she decided to leave it until after, when the three were done discussing their plans for the day.

“I feel as though we should perhaps go remove the last excess malevolence in Marlind,” Lailah suggested. “It's doing very well, so it might be good to finish off cleansing it before you move to Lastonbell.”

Mikleo nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that's a good plan.”

“Awh!” Sorey whined. “I thought I was having you to myself today.”

“Will you – ugh, we can do something later, okay? It won't take that long in Marlind.”

Lailah smiled in amusement, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hands.

“Have I missed out on something, boys?” she asked, smile growing when she received a 'yes' from Sorey and 'no' from Mikleo simultaneously. Mikleo shot a glare at Sorey, who grinned and held up a peace sign in return. “I feel like Mikleo is lying.”

“Well, we –” Mikleo stammered. “We, might have just, you know –”

“We kissed,” Sorey finished for him, causing his head to lower, eyes cast on the ground, face heating up. Lailah let out a rather large squeal, sitting up immediately with her hands held against her face.

“Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed happily. “I knew it would happen before too long! So what _exactly_ did you want to do together, then?”

“No-Nothing you have in mind!” Mikleo cried, resting his face in his hands. “Just – just like, relaxing, you know? Making the most of Sorey's day off.”

“That's a little disappointing.”

“Lailah, stop, he's going to melt,” Sorey laughed, edging slightly closer to Mikleo to press a kiss on his head. “Come on, she's just teasing.”

“I don't _care,”_ he mumbled.

“Sorry Mikleo, I didn't mean to insult your purity.” Her smile soon faded, unable to keep it on her face for long. “But… But you are aware that...”

“That's what's making this difficult,” Mikleo said, raising his head to look at her. “Because we know it can't happen.”

“Well, it _can_ , it's just very difficult. After all, with your lifespans … it would be very, very painful if something between you was long-lasting. And I know that it wouldn't be anything less than that, if something _did_ happen between you.”

“What do you think we should do?” Sorey asked quietly.

“That is not my decision to make,” Lailah said after a moment of hesitation. “Usually, a relationship between a guardian angel and a human is entirely forbidden, for the reasons you are facing now and more. But, well… This case is extraordinary. The bond you two share is one that we have been witnessing since you met.” Her eyes grew upset, her heart sinking. “Though of course, you wouldn't know just how much you got along.”

Sorey smiled. “Actually, we're beginning to.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

“After Sorey and I kissed,” Mikleo began, clearing his throat from that word, “it was like a door had been opened. Like with my memories, what we _can_ remember is very distant and broken, but we dreamt about how we met.”

“Oh, boys,” she said softly, her face breaking out into a smile filled with emotions, her hand resting on her chest. “That's wonderful.” A thought seemed to come to her after being told this, her eyes looking distant for a moment. “It is no question that now you can remember each other a little from when you were younger, now more than ever, you're expressing your feelings for each other.”

“We are,” Sorey nodded. “That's why I asked … you know.”

“In my opinion to that, sometimes it is worth fighting for something you want,” she said. “As you know, death certainly doesn't mean the end – in fact, it would be a new beginning for you. Waiting, as painful as that waiting would be, would bring a new life for you both. It is written in the stars that you will become one.” She paused for a moment, smile growing on her face. “I know how frightening it is for both of you. It is understandable that you fear what lies ahead. However, it is the anticipation of fear which frightens us most of all. The other side of fear is beautiful, leaving you questioning why you were ever scared to begin with. If you can fight through your struggles to be together, then you'll reach that brighter side.”

There was silence as her well chosen words settled into their minds, being contemplated thoughtfully. As usual, her words held a great deal of sense, her emotions expressed within her kindness. This woman wanted what was best for them, yet merely guided with the truth. Both couldn't have been more grateful for that.

“That was beautiful, Lailah,” Sorey eventually commented, a smile on his face. “And I can definitely see where you're coming from.”

“So, should we...” Mikleo said, his words drifting off as he bit down on his lip for a moment. “Should we just stop worrying about the future for now, and embrace what we feel?”

Lailah didn't agree or disagree. “It is up to you what you decide. Let your heart lead you.”

“I don't want you to be pushed into anything,” Sorey said, his tone serious. “We can embrace our feelings, or we can go back to how we were. I'll support you no matter what you decide.”

“What is it that you want?” Mikleo asked quietly, uncertain over the situation. Sorey took Mikleo's hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of it.

“I think you already know.”

Despite the statement being brief, those five words helped Mikleo to come to a decision. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned over to press his lips softly against Sorey's, the delicacy one would expect from an angel. His hand rested lightly on Sorey's cheek, both appreciating the warmth from the gentle brush of their lips, before Mikleo pulled away.

“Then let's live in the moment.”

 

* * *

 

 

The week ahead of them had been nothing like they had ever felt, yet at the same time, it managed to feel as it had always done.

With the decision of finally embracing their feelings with their worries pushed away, the touch between them felt even more natural, much more welcome without looming fear taking over them. They had scaled that fear, even if it still lingered. Yet despite the more frequent touches and the kisses they shared, their relationship still hadn't changed greatly. They still bickered and argued, their conversations or the concern they showed for each other weren't that different. They were just how they had always been. Only now, they had simply accepted that they were in love.

During this week, Sorey received an update on Alisha. She was seeming to recover slowly, though was still weak. She was required to have this week off work, much to her dismay. Rose appeared to be handling the situation well when Sorey listened to her over the phone, but a worry nagged at him, concerned that she was hiding her true emotions. However, through not wanting to add to her stress and also being distracted by the thought of his upcoming task with Eizen, he decided to postpone another visit to them.

The weekend then brought another visit back to Lastonbell, where Edna and Zaveid had lingered due to the malevolence they felt not shifting from Rolance. Edna had contacted Lailah, informing her that there had been an increase of malevolence in the area, which they believed to have been Eizen.

As Sorey drove to Lastonbell, the realisation of what may end up happening this day was hitting him. Even if he didn't kill the devil himself, he was still helping to do so. Whilst he had accepted that it was the only choice and that if anything, it would put Eizen out of misery, the thought that he was going to be assisting with the death of something which was once an angel weighed down on him. Mikleo noticed this, silently taking Sorey's hand and squeezing it out of reassurance. He didn't say any words, for he knew that Sorey already knew everything he could have been told. But his touch still meant the world to him even if it was silent.

The two boys and Lailah were greeted as they exited the car by Edna and Zaveid. The latter gave them a wide grin, his hands placed on his hips, whilst Edna's face remained as blank as usual.

“I must say Lailah, that you really do look even more gorgeous in sunlight – _Edna_ , I told you not to do that!”

“Pervert,” she said simply as she removed her umbrella from his head. She inspected Mikleo, raising an eyebrow. “You.”

“Me?”

“Did you sort yourself out?” she asked. “There's no way you're going off hunting devils if you're still yearning for your oh-so-lovely Shepherd.”

“Oh, that,” Mikleo said, glancing at Sorey with a small smile, a blush lightly dusting his cheeks. “Yeah, I did. We, uh… We kissed that day.”

“Atta boy!” Zaveid exclaimed, throwing his arm around Mikleo's shoulders. He shifted his gaze to Sorey, grin never leaving his face. “Treat him right or I'll murder you.”

“Ditto,” Edna added.

Feeling as though the threats weren't meaningless, Sorey laughed and nodded. “Don't worry, I will.”

“So do you have any idea of where he might be?” Mikleo asked, trying to shift attention away from himself.

“Somewhere outside of here, I think,” Edna said, focusing on the malevolence around her. “As you can probably tell, the malevolence of a devil is much more overwhelming than it is from hellions.”

“Yeah, I can,” Sorey said, hand lingering on his compressed chest for a moment. He glanced up into the air, the essence of malevolence a little visible there.

“Can you sense where it's coming from?” Lailah asked him.

“I think… Maybe east?”

“I was thinking that way myself,” Zaveid commented. “That's towards lands between Hyland and Rolance – Glaivend Basin.”

“Oh, no,” Lailah said, a hand held to her mouth. “Hopefully he's no going to Hyland – it's much smaller, so it would affect it even more than it would with Rolance...”

“Come on, we'll go now before that happens! How far is it from here?”

“Not far,” Edna responded. “We can walk. It's not like you want to take your car there, anyway.”

“Let's go, then,” Sorey said. The others followed him out of the city as they made their way down to their location. The further distance they covered, the more they began to feel the weight of malevolence, confirming their assumptions on where Eizen may have been.

“I've never felt anything like this,” Mikleo said, breathing slightly heavy. Sorey nodded in agreement, just as uncomfortable as Mikleo was. Lailah seemed affected too, though she seemed to be more accustomed than them, whilst Edna and Zaveid seemed unaffected – especially the latter, which left Sorey and Mikleo wondering just how many times he had hunted devils.

“Keep on your guard,” Zaveid said, hand now taking his gun out of its holster. “He could be coming at us any minute.”

The others nodded, taking out their respective weapons in preparation. Lailah bit her lip as she glanced at Sorey and Mikleo, frightened that neither of them had the skills to face what was ahead. But she saw the determination and bravery burning in their eyes, and she knew that they wouldn't be able to get as strong as they could without challenges like this. Plus, Zaveid had done this alone in the past – with a group this size, they were sure to be victorious.

With no trains passing in the distance, the area was deadly silent. A dropped pin would have likely been able to be heard. The only sign that they were in the right place was how strong the malevolence was here. Before long, they were walking away from grassland, the lack of the lush greenery both countries were adorned with making the area feel as though it had lost all life. Dirt blew past them from the wind, the sound of which the only thing breaking the silence. Their steps took them to the cliff-side, eyes wide open.

“Can you cope with this, Sorey?” Lailah asked, concern evident in her voice.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I'm managing. This is too important to back away from.”

For a moment, Edna glanced at him, her face still expressionless despite the gratitude she felt inside. It was this glance that took her off guard at the wrong moment; she and others were startled at the sound of a deafening roar.

“Down there!” Zaveid bellowed, grabbing Edna's arms and pulling her out of the way of what could only be seen as a blur shooting up the side of the cliff. Everyone else also leaped away from the sudden figure, the impact of its drop cracking the ground of the cliff-side beneath him. Time seemed to freeze for a moment as the monster kept its head bowed for a moment, a quiet growling under its breath, before its head rose terrifyingly slowly. Having never seen a devil, Sorey and Mikleo were taken aback, even though both knew that a devil would hardly be beautiful. Their leg muscles tightened from fear, the instincts of their bodies causing them to prepare to run, but they stayed where they were to observe what was before them.

It was possible to be seen that he had once been a human, yet this was tarnished completely. The hair which had once shone the same blond as Edna's had been stained a pitch black, falling over his face in wild, untamed strands. They brushed against a horrific pair of eyes, the sclera of which were also black, the irises a vibrant crimson. His skin had a grey undertone to it, as though his life had been draining away from him. Even his lips, which were borne into the snarl of a predator, appeared lifeless; all colour had been drained from there. His limbs were normal, though his fingernails were unnaturally long, the sharpness of which clear that they would be able to cut through skin as easily as they would paper. Covering this body were torn clothes, which at one point, appeared as though they were of an incredible design. Though now, they were simply in tatters. It wouldn't have seemed fitting to his image if they weren't. Aside from his eyes, the dark wings which were sprouted from his back were likely the most horrifying of all. There was no trace of the feathers of an angel or demon. They had the shape of a bat's; pointed as such, though scaled like a dragon's would be. These same scales appeared in scattered, small clumps on the devil's skin. The sight was horrifying.

“Hello, brother,” Edna greeted quietly, flinching at the growl which she received in return. The word 'brother' meant nothing to the monster who was ready to kill. With one foot forward from the devil, Sorey and the angels braced themselves, knowing if they didn't prepare, they wouldn't be getting out alive.

In the distance, a pair of cold, magenta eyes watched them with a pleased expression, before they vanished into a cloud of darkness.

 

* * *

 

 

These eyes now inspected the area around her, footsteps causing brimstone to crunch underneath her feet. The blaze of torches danced in the darkness, their flames the only source of light. It was this darkness that she felt more at home in than anything else.

Though this wasn't her home, or at least, it hadn't been to start with. That could be told merely from the looks she received. Hate, disgust, fury – yet it only fuelled her. There was often fear in those eyes, which only made her feel more powerful. They weren't trusted like she was. It didn't matter that her wings were pure white. She belonged here just as much as they did, welcoming the darkness of Hell. Being here drained her at first, for it was the nature of an angel to not be in a place this thick with malevolence. But she had accustomed herself to malevolence long ago. She would do anything for her master.

“I'm here to see my Lord,” she announced to two demons standing outside of the room where her beloved master, Heldalf, typically spent his time. The two nodded, fully aware of the trust between this angel and their Lord. They let her through, and without another word, she entered.

“Symonne?” a deep voice asked from inside, for there were very few others who would enter so freely.

“Yes, my Lord,” she replied, bowing her head.

“What news do you have for me?”

“The Shepherd has found other angels,” she answered, head rising. “One of which he has made a pact with.”

“That would mean he has a third element?”

“Yes. Fire, water and earth are what he has now.” Symonne paused, pondering her thoughts. “Would it have more of an impact on him to let the water guardian have his memories restore from returning to Heaven, or is that too much of a risk?”

“We will see what opportunity arises first. After all, we do not want to lose what we've already achieved.”

Symonne nodded. “I agree, my Lord.” She paused again. “The water guardian – is he really the Shepherd's soul-mate?”

“No doubt about it. It is a bond which could overthrow us, if we are not careful. However, we can also use it to our advantage completely.”

Symonne smirked, a wicked glint in her eyes. “There are so many possibilities. We really must thank Michael for his assistance with bringing the water guardian to this stage, even if he _did_ betray us in the end.”

“Have you found him at all?”

She shook her head. “It's hard to track a demon who is uselessly fighting their malevolence. It does not seep from them like it does with others. I apologise, my Lord.”

“It is fine, we don't need him. Or at least, not for now.”

She looked at him questioningly for a moment, though she soon caught on, her smirk returning. “Oh, how torturous it would be for the poor angel to see the man he was once abused by, all tainted by malevolence,” she said quietly. “As for the Shepherd… That would only contribute to darkness, seeing the man who had killed his lover.”

“Smaller steps must be taken first, however. How is the situation with the girl?”

“She's weakened incredibly, but we've not let her die like we did with the priest. Her poor wife is a mess from it.” Symonne's smirk grew. “Both of them are right where we need them to be, in order to mess with all of their minds.”

Heldalf smiled at her – for anyone else, seeing this from a form so gigantic, with a pair of eyes this terrifying, would leave them shaking in fear. But for Symonne, whose mind was as twisted as his, it pleased her to see this smile. “Your efforts have truly paid off.”

She bowed again, her satisfaction increasing even further from this praise. “Anything to help you, my Lord.”

His mouth grew wider, a chilling smirk which could paralyse others in fear. “Now then, Symonne,” he said, stepping over to her, “I think it is time we met the Shepherd ourselves.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very well aware that I might overuse cliffhangers... Or not. I love me some cliffhangers.
> 
> It was actually nice to have this to do after my exam today! It left me fairly stress and my health quite severe, and uploading content for you guys, as well as seeing your thoughts, always brightens my mood. 
> 
> Also, I might potentially be raising the rating of this soon enough. I feel as though the Teen rating might not cover future violence, and I might potentially add in sexual content (nothing meaningless and likely not explicit, keeping the rating at just Mature). I'll have a think about it; I just wanted to let you know in advance.
> 
> Until next time!


	16. Confronted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group begin their fight against Eizen, confident that their teamwork would lead them to victory. However, they were unaware of who else would appear, and the events which would occur after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention in the last chapter, but we are now officially over half way! I'm still not sure about the exact amount of chapters, but I still know what will be going on.
> 
> I'm a little bit anxious about my writing at the moment - I feel as though this bad health patch which won't quite shift is affecting my writing quality. I hope that's not the case! (I would take a break, but my health is ALWAYS severe to some degree, and I genuinely can't live without creativity)
> 
> Anyway, enough of that - enjoy!

With a scream unlike anything Sorey and Mikleo had ever heard, the devil shot forward, pulling his arm back ready to attack. Zaveid conjured his strength to blast him back with his wind, aiming his gun at him and pulling the trigger immediately, but the attack was dodged.

“Damn, he's gotten faster!” he hissed. “Edna!”

She had been paralysed for a moment as she looked at Eizen, though by the time she snapped out of her trance and tightened the grip on her umbrella, it would have been too late. It was only the pull of her arm by Sorey which brought her to safety, a jet of Mikleo's water and powerful flames from Lailah pushing Eizen back.

“That monster is _not_ your brother, Edna!” Zaveid shouted at her, directing his gun at Eizen again, cursing as he kept leaping out of the way of its aim. “Don't hesitate unless you want to die!”

Edna looked horrified, a startling contrast to how she usually was. She was shaking her head, clenching her hands into fists.

“No...” she whispered. “Why… Why did he...”

“We need to get her out of here!” Zaveid shouted as he shot wind towards Eizen, followed by Lailah's vortex. “She's just going to get hurt!”

“Sorey,” Mikleo said, eyes still fixed on Eizen as he spoke, “our artes are safer to use on him than yours, because we can stay at a distance. Take her.”

Sorey only paused for a moment before nodding. “All right. Don't die on me.”

Mikleo chuckled, a blue light forming around him as he charged one of his artes. “Like I'm going to do that.”

Sorey managed to smile for a moment before he scooped Edna up into his arms, certain that her legs wouldn't work if he tried to drag her away. Her hands gripped onto him tightly at first, but loosened as he placed her down gently, her legs trembling slightly. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes.

“If it hurts you too much to get involved, wait here,” he told her. “We'll take care of this, okay?”

She nodded slowly, fingers pulling up the fallen orange strap onto her shoulder. “Sorry you've been dragged into this.”

“It's all right, I –” his words stopped as he held onto his side with a slight wince, turning around wildly. “Mikleo, are you all right?”

“Just a scratch!” Mikleo called back, Zaveid fending Eizen off as Lailah healed Mikleo's bleeding side. Sorey was able to see that Zaveid had been hurt, too; gashes from Eizen's claws inflicted his shoulder. Sorey ran forward upon seeing these injuries, leaping into the air and slashing his sword across Eizen's chest. Edna winced, a hand trailing to her own chest, but her eyes weren't wide because of the temporary pain.

“He feels Mikleo's pain like I feel Eizen's,” she whispered. “Then it's true, they _are_ soul-mates.”

Only that bond was enough to rival that of the love between her and her brother – in fact, it might have even been superior. Edna could only briefly feel Eizen's pain when it was severe – Sorey had felt an injury on Mikleo which could have been a lot harsher.

That's when she realised that her feeling Eizen's pain showed just how strong Sorey actually was. Maybe he really did stand a chance against what was ahead.

However, the one attack which had hit its target caused Eizen to be a lot more wary. Now their attacks were missing a lot more frequently, Eizen's own slashes of his claws and conjured black artes seeming to become more focused. It was a terrifying aspect of devils; whilst their minds were lost, they still maintained intelligence and skill.

“ _Burning Strike!”_ Lailah yelled, but the fire which usually hit its target missed. Eizen shot towards her and swiped, causing her to scream in pain and fly backwards onto the ground.

“Cover me!” Mikleo shouted at Sorey and Zaveid, who both nodded before aiming their attacks at the devil. He didn't have time to hesitate when he saw Sorey's leg was bleeding; as much as it went against his nature and love for Sorey to leave it unhealed, Lailah was in more dire need. He raced over to her, holding out his staff over a slash against her chest, the rising of which, he noticed, was fairly slow. Lailah inhaled deeply as the wound healed, coughing and sitting up. “Are you all right, Lailah?”

“Yes, I'm fine,” she said, eyes landing on the fight before her, panic rising when she saw just how much the two of them were struggling to stop themselves getting severely injured. “This devil is much more powerful than many others. He must be, otherwise Zaveid wouldn't struggle so much. And if his gun keeps missing… We need to weaken him so he can hit. But our attacks aren't strong enough.”

She got to her feet, stepping forward, her shouted _“_ _Imbuement!_ _”_ healing Sorey's leg, allowing him to regain his previous speed.

“I'm ending this!” Zaveid bellowed, directing his weapon at Eizen's head, but he hesitated for a moment too soon. The gun was knocked out of his hand before his throat was grabbed, lifting him off the floor and squeezing with immense force. A past friendship could never have been imagined from something like this.

Sorey panicked for a moment, not wanting to attack from where he was due to potentially hurting Zaveid, but luckily, a combination of fire and water hit into Eizen's shoulder, knocking him back and causing Zaveid to land on the floor, spluttering for breath. He growled as he clutched his throat, hand reaching for his gun.

“Enough!” he shouted. “You've been through enough, Eizen!”

But again, the devil dodged his gun's aim. Lailah was shaking her head hopelessly.

“It's no use, Zaveid. He was too skilled as an angel and now he's stronger than anything you've faced. We need to weaken him and slow him down.”

“But how?” Sorey questioned, blocking an attack of Eizen with his sword, who leaped away when he noticed Zaveid's gun on him.

“All I can think of is Armatization, but –”

“We'll do it,” Sorey interrupted her. “If that's what it takes, we'll Armatize!”

“Sorey, no!” Mikleo shouted. “You're not ready, you heard what she said –”

“That's exactly why I'm not expecting you to do it,” Sorey responded. “Lailah, I trust you. We've got to try!”

“But...” Lailah started, but her words faltered as she watched Zaveid and Eizen attack each other in the air, repeatedly back and to as either got nowhere. Then her gaze shifted to Edna, who was watching the scene with troubled eyes, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. Slowly, Lailah nodded her head, knowing that ironically, risking Sorey's life might have been the only chance of preventing death. “All right. Focus all of your mind on our pact. Let its power surge through you and think of nothing else. Imagine crossing that line between life and death, our powers fusing together. And then, when you feel the time is right, indicate to me for us to say my true name.”

Sorey nodded, allowing his mind to block out the angel and devil fighting above them, stopping himself from thinking of anything else but the power inside him. Everything seemed to grow silent in his concentration. As he continued to focus his mind, he finally began to feel it. In the distance, he could sense the connections he had to Mikleo and Edna, but he forced himself to ignore them, only concentrating on Lailah. His eyes opened slowly, giving her a small nod. Following this motion caused them to shout simultaneously:

“ _Fethmus Mioma!”_

It all happened in such a huge rush that Sorey wasn't sure if he'd be able to remain conscious. Overwhelming power surged inside him, and for a minute of panic, the world turned black, only a light shining in the distance. He panted, unsure of this sensation flowing through him. Was this what it felt like to be between life and death?

“ _Don't panic, Sorey!”_ Lailah's voice exclaimed inside his mind. _“Calm yourself, or tell me if you need us to part!”_

He shook his head. “No, we have to do this.”

“ _Then breathe. Focus on the power I've given you, and allow it to form with your own. Allow yourself to control life and death_ _themselves_ _. You can do it, Sorey, you've already come this far!”_

This time, he nodded. He closed his eyes again, blocking out the terrifying darkness, allowing himself to embrace her power. It began to feel natural, as though it was beginning to flow through his veins, part of his own core. Then he allowed his eyes to open slowly, finding relief in how he was now back in the real world.

“Sorey...” Mikleo breathed out, staring at Sorey in awe. Sorey looked down at himself, having not expected his outfit to change to a tight-fitting white attire with red detailing, heeled boots now equipped on his feet. But apparently, that wasn't the only thing that Mikleo was staring at him over. Not only was his hair now incredibly long, its blond much lighter than his usual colour, but when he glanced over his back, he saw that there were incredibly sized wings sprouting from his back, the ends tipped with a faint red, similar to the gradient in Lailah's hair.

“ _You've done it, Sorey!”_ Lailah cried happily from inside his head. _“Hurry, we might not be able to stay like this for long!”_

Sorey nodded, gripping his sword tightly in his hands. He gave Mikleo a grin before tensing the muscles in his back and springing upwards, the use of wings a natural motion for him. Zaveid noticed his blur, skirting out of the way so Sorey could slash his sword at Eizen. He let out a roar of pain, his eyes glowing with more fury than ever before as he retaliated, but Sorey's speed had improved dramatically. He dodged Eizen's attack easily, charging fire in response, directly hitting its target. There was barely a wince when Eizen's claws managed to scratch across his chest, his and Lailah's minds too determined. With a powerful blow, they knocked Eizen closer to the ground, Zaveid closing the rest of the distance with his own power. With beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead, Sorey shot down towards the ground, not hesitating as he slashed at Eizen again. The devil's movements were slower now from the increase of injuries. Realisation washing over him, Zaveid pointed his gun again, certain this time that it would meet its target –

“ _NO!”_ Edna screamed, running forward. “Stop it!”

“Stay back, Edna!” Zaveid growled. “You know this has to be done!”

“But I can feel his pain,” she said, her voice much quieter as she held her hands over her chest. “Eizen, please, snap out of it so you don't have to be hurt anymore!”

“He won't be hurt when he's dead!”

She ignored his words. By now, Eizen's movements had froze and was staring at her. “Please, Eizen,” she said softly. “Can't you hear me?”

There was silence, before it was broken by a snarl off Eizen. He stepped forward, ready to attack his sister, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Zaveid's gun. His wings took him past them, back down over the cliff-side, apparently seeing fleeing as the safest option for survival.

“Get back here!” Zaveid shouted, but as he was just about to take off in order to follow him, he was suddenly paralysed to the spot by an increase in malevolence. He wasn't the only one; the others were suddenly breathing heavily, the air around them thick.

“What's going on?” Mikleo gasped out.

“ _I – I have never felt malevolence so strong,”_ Lailah said breathlessly. As darkness began to shroud the area, the group were all brought to their knees alongside Sorey unable to find strength in their trembling legs to stay upright.

It was in that moment that their eyes fell on a terrifying sight. Now emerged from the darkness was a gigantic hellion, evil, wicked eyes staring down at them, the malevolence only seeming stronger when meeting that gaze. Behind him, Symonne emerged, looking tiny in comparison.

“There they are, my Lord,” she announced. “The Shepherd and his slaves.”

“ _Lord?”_ Lailah whispered. _“He's the Lord of Calamity?”_

“A hellion,” Sorey said, goosebumps beginning to form on his skin. “The Lord of Calamity is a human hellion?”

The group were suddenly shot back by a powerful wave from Heldalf, causing their already struggling bodies to fall onto the floor, finding it difficult to stay on their knees, never mind their feet. However, Sorey soon stood his ground, him and Lailah mustering up their power to get back to their feet.

“ _I don't think we're strong enough, Sorey,”_ Lailah told him helplessly.

“We've got to at least try,” Sorey responded, grip on the Sacred Blade tightening. With a tremendous bellow, he shot forward, incredible flames casting around the sword, stronger than any of his attacks against Eizen. He was sure this would at least do something, even if it just caused a slight injury –

But the attack was useless. A force from Heldalf held back the attack with ease, Sorey's eyes widening when he saw that Heldalf hadn't moved a muscle. As though he had no power at all and weighed nothing, he was shot back to the others, crying out in pain as he fell to the ground roughly, rolling back and landing on his stomach. He and Lailah were forced to separate, both barely conscious.

“Stay with me!” Mikleo exclaimed, forcing himself to crawl over to them. In his state, he could barely heal, but his hands were at least able to lessen the pain of small injuries.

“You are not very intimidating, are you, Shepherd?” Heldalf questioned provokingly, mouth curling into a grin. “You must be weak if you cannot handle this malevolence.”

“Poor guy, he's only a newbie,” Symonne commented. “He has much less experience than Michael did when we met.”

“Michael?” Mikleo said, his eyes growing wide.

“Yes, _you_ _r_ Michael. I take it that the fire guardian couldn't tell you that small detail? That your uncle was the previous Shepherd?”

Mikleo shifted his gaze to Lailah, who was lowering her head, biting down onto her lip roughly. It was clear just how much damage it would do for her to confirm this.

With a smirk, Symonne looked up at Heldalf. “What shall we do with them, my Lord?”

“We need more time to torture their spirits,” he answered, both his words and voice chilling. “I would also rather have the Shepherd fight me when he can actually stand.”

“Very well. I _was_ a little surprised over him Armatizing so soon.” She paused, a smirk growing on her lips. “May I just have a quick moment first, Master?”

“Help yourself.”

The smirk grew, her legs taking her over to the group, who were trying to get to their feet, but struggling to do so. “Poor, poor Shepherd,” she said mockingly. She pushed Mikleo away she before stood in front of Sorey, kicking his face so that he stumbled, hand grazing across the ground. Mikleo glared at her, fury building.

“Don't you dare!”

She ignored him, pushing Sorey's sword away from him as she crouched down next to him momentarily. “Now, Shepherd, how much do these angels mean to you? How angry will you get over harm coming their way?” she questioned, slowly rising back to her feet. She wandered past Zaveid, shooting an arte at him when she saw that he was almost on his feet, smirking at Edna's cry for him. She kicked the small angel to the ground, smirking at her wail of pain as an arte hit into her legs, Sorey's rage slowly building from her taunts.

“Stop it,” he growled, but like Mikleo, he was ignored.

“What about your Prime Lord?” she asked, stepping harshly onto Lailah's hand, causing her to wince. “Lovely, secretive fire guardian, who is a shame to the name 'Lailah the Pure'.” With one swift kick, Lailah rolled across the floor, body struggling to get up from the energy she used during her Armatization and also the malevolence weighing down on her.

“Don't touch her!”

“She's done with,” Symonne said, finally acknowledging Sorey's voice. “However, what about this one here?” she questioned, placing a foot on top of Mikleo's head and pushing it down onto the floor forcefully. “The precious little boyfriend.”

“Don't,” Sorey hissed, his voice growing deeper, eyes darker. “Don't you _dare_ lay a finger on him!”

“That's the reaction I wanted,” she grinned, crouching down in front of Mikleo and grasping his hair roughly, causing him to wince as she pulled on it, his head being forced back. She let out a small laugh. “A guardian angel? Look at you, helpless and unable to do anything!”

“Want to bet on that?” Mikleo spat, holding out a hand to conjure his staff, but there was an immediate blow to his face. She charged an arte as he fell to the floor, shooting it into his back, his defiance of not reacting to pain failing as he cried out from the impact.

“Carry on and you'd wish you were dead!” Sorey screamed at her, shakily getting to his knees before finally, he was on his feet after he stumbled.

“There it is,” Symonne sneered. “Your growing malevolence!”

“Sorey, don't!” Lailah begged. “Don't give in to anger!”

He had no chance to do as such, for Symonne was now returning to her Master's side, pleased with the effects she caused on Sorey.

“Become stronger, Shepherd,” Heldalf said, smirk never leaving. “Or you will never have any chance of surviving.”

Neither Sorey nor any of the others had chance to move before he and Symonne had finished their threat and had left in a vast amount of black smoke. Following their disappearance, the air seemed to clear around them, the area brighter again. The compression of malevolence now easing, the angels got to their feet, skin lined with sweat and their breathing heavy – but Sorey did the complete opposite. As he straightened his body, an overwhelming amount of light-headedness hit him. Eyes glazed over, he stumbled to the side, deliriousness washing over him.

“Mi-Mikleo?” was the name he mumbled, sounding lost, before he fell onto the floor, darkness taking over his mind.

“ _Sorey!”_ Mikleo yelled, running over to him in an instance and sliding down onto his knees, hands glowing blue to heal him, yet nothing happened. He shot his head around to Lailah, panicked. “Why isn't he healing?”

“Don't worry, Mikleo, his body is merely exhausted from Armatizing with me,” she informed him. “He'll be fine. It's normal for this to happen.”

Mikleo breathed out in relief, resting his hand on Sorey's cheek. “Thank goodness." He was about to speak again before he noticed Edna swaying, legs injured from Symonne's attack and barely able to keep her upright. With a quick glance at Sorey, he shuffled closer to Edna, conjuring his staff to heal her legs. She breathed out in relief. 

 "Thanks for that," she said, before holding onto Mikleo's arm as he then went to heal Zaveid's back. "Don't. You've used a lot more energy than I have." She then held out her umbrella to Zaveid, and Mikleo watched in fascination as a light formed around him, healing his injury. It seemed as though Edna had a healing ability which rivalled Lailah's.

 Sorey then returned to his mind once the two angels had been healed, taking his place back by his side on the floor. "How long will he be out for?" he asked.

There was a moment of hesitation which he definitely didn't feel reassured from. “W-Well, the impact of Armatizing for the first time can be rather strong. It could be hours, days – I can't say.”

His heart sank, filling with worry as he shifted his gaze back to Sorey. “What are we supposed to do? We can't carry him all the way back to Ladylake, that's way too far...”

“You could drive?” Zaveid suggested.

“I don't even know if I can. Plus, what would people say if they saw a moving car with no one in the driver's seat?”

“Well, we can't just leave the guy out here,” Edna commented. “Unless you want him to get eaten by a wild boar or something.”

“This isn't the time for jokes!” he shouted, Edna looking slightly startled from the reaction. Lailah crouched down next to Mikleo and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Breathe, Mikleo,” she said gently. “Relax. Getting panicked won't help at all.”

He nodded slowly, letting out a deep breath, trying to calm his rapid heart. He racked his brain for ideas, knowing there had to be _some_ way to get Sorey back that wouldn't bring too much attention to him. Mikleo stayed completely silent as he lost himself in thought, before an idea finally came to him.

“What are you doing?” Zaveid asked with a raised eyebrow as Mikleo dug his hand inside the pocket of Sorey's jeans.

“Trying to find – there!” He pulled out Sorey's mobile phone. His fingers hovered over the screen as a password, the eyes of the others widening when he assumed it correctly. He pressed on the contact list, eyes landing on the name 'Rose'. “She's the only other human I know of who can hear angels. What if she came to pick him up?”

“Didn't she become very terrified last time, though?” Lailah questioned uncertainly.

“She did. But she might listen if it's about Sorey needing help,” Mikleo responded. Lailah thought over this for a moment, before she nodded, a sign of her agreeing. After inhaling a deep breath, Mikleo called the number and placed the phone by his ear, feeling nervousness rise up inside him as he listened to its ringing. It did so four times before Rose picked up.

“ _What's up, Sorey?”_

“It's not Sorey,” Mikleo said. “It's, um –”

“ _That voice...”_ Rose responded slowly. _“You're...”_

“Yes, I'm the angel that you heard – please, don't hang up!”

“ _Why are you calling me?”_ Her voice was lower, a slight tremble evident in it. _“Why won't you leave me alone?!”_

“Please, I'm not trying to scare you or anything.” He spoke quickly, yet doing his best to do so with a soft voice. The last thing he wanted was Rose to end the call there and then. “I need your help – no, Sorey does.”

There was a pause. _“Sorey?”_

“Yeah, that's why I'm calling you.” He paused for a moment, trying to think of how he was going to put together his next words. “Something happened near Lastonbell, and he passed out. The thing is that he might not wake up for a while, and we can't exactly take him back to Ladylake, considering someone might see him.”

“ _So…_ _So you want me to pick him up?”_

“Please. It's the only way.”

There was another pause, much longer this time. _“I – I don't know if I can.”_

“I don't know why you're scared of us,” Mikleo said, stopping himself from mentioning that it was because Dezel didn't tell them. “But trust me, I take your fear seriously. I just – I can't leave him out here, and we don't have many options. This isn't about me, or my kind; it's about Sorey.”

“ _I…_ _I guess...”_ She let out an exhale of breath. _“I guess I can help. I just need to make sure my wife will be fine without me for a few hours._   _Did he drive there?_ _”_

“He did, yes.”

“ _Then I'll grab some cash, get the train down and drive back with him.”_

“Thank you,” Mikleo said, sighing in relief. “I'm grateful for this.”

“ _I'm only doing this for Sorey,_ not _you. There's no need to feel gratitude. Would you be able go to Lastonbell so I can find you?"_

“Of course I can.”

“ _Then I'll be seeing you. I'll be just under two hours.”_

The call ended quickly after those words, seeming as though it was down to both her wanting to hurry to help Sorey, and also because she didn't want to be speaking to an angel any longer.

“She's helping us, then?” Lailah asked. Mikleo nodded, managing to smile.

“She sounded terrified, but she's willing to do this for Sorey.” He sighed again, resting back on his hands for a moment. “Thank God she is. I was beginning to wonder what on Earth we were going to do.” He looked down at Sorey, feeling thankful that the expression on his face was at least as peaceful as when he was sleeping normally. “We should move him with us - outside of Lastonbell though, so he's out of the way."

“I'll help you,” Zaveid said, crouching down to place one of Sorey's arms around his shoulders. Mikleo did the same on the other side, both of them lifting him off the ground. Mikleo would have much preferred Sorey to be carried on one of their backs, but much to his annoyance, their wings would have made it difficult.

“Hang in there, Sorey,” Mikleo murmured to him as they began to walk, Lailah and Edna trailing behind, keeping an eye out for anything which could attack. Mikleo's hold on Sorey grew tighter, praying silently that he would wake up from this sooner rather than later.

 

* * *

 

 

The wait for Rose was torturous. Even though Sorey still looked peaceful and all external injuries had healed, this was the first time that Mikleo had dealt with something like this. Though his body was perfectly composed, his expression calm, it was a mask which covered the panic he felt inside. Was this how Sorey had been when Mikleo had been injured the night they met Lailah? Did the panic Mikleo felt match, or even surpass, what Sorey had felt when Mikleo had fought Lunarre and Symonne?

His teeth gritted as he thought of their names. Whilst both of them brought him indescribable fury for being focused on bringing malevolence to the Shepherd, it was mostly Symonne who added to this rage. He had no idea how Symonne could be as evil as she was. How could she have ever become an angel in the first place, when her conscience was so low that she could be surrounded by such a great extent of malevolence and feel nothing at all?

“No one is really sure about what happened to Symonne,” Lailah told him when he asked her. “Whilst she was fairly quiet, she was a normal angel to begin with. The change in her wasn't noticeable, so her switch of sides seemed to happen instantly.”

“She's a weird one, all right,” Edna commented.

“More like a little bitch,” Zaveid added. “I hate that brat. Fighting against what we are, now working under that hellion. Man, there's not an angel who doesn't like her.”

“I'm sure there's _some_ reason that she's like this,” Mikleo said thoughtfully. “I mean, people don't just become evil instantly, surely?”

“Even if there is, that still doesn't excuse what she has done,” Lailah responded. “If her crimes were less large than they are, then yes, perhaps she could be excused. But we cannot forgive her for what she has done.”

“We've all been through things,” Edna said in agreement. “It's up to us what we do in response to that. When it gets down to it, the only people who are to blame for their actions are themselves.”

Mikleo nodded in response to those words. “I can agree with that.” He really could – after all, as much as he hated making situations revolve around him, he himself had been through a great deal, yet he was still standing by the Shepherd's side and willing to do what's right. However, a rather disturbing thought came to him for a moment. If Sorey was a person opposite to how he was and being by his side would mean committing acts just like Symonne's, would the fact that they were in love cause Mikleo's idea of justice to change? Just how far did a deep bond go?

“Meebo, I need to tell you about something, too,” Edna suddenly spoke up, startling him out of his thoughts, which he felt relief over her doing so.

“What is it?”

“Sorey could feel your pain when you got hurt, even if it was faint,” she said. “Can you feel his, too?”

“Yeah, I can.”

“Then it _is_ true,” she said. For once, she was smiling. Lailah shook her head, pouting.

“ _Edna!_ I wanted them to work it out for themselves!”

“The sooner they know about it, the more they can see how much they mean to each other and how they can take advantage of what they have.”

“Them being aware _might_ make it useful,” Zaveid contributed. Lailah looked at them both for a moment, before she sighed and nodded.

“Perhaps it _is_ for the best...”

“What are you talking about?” Mikleo asked. “I thought we'd just feel each other's pain because I'm his guardian angel.”

Lailah shook her head. “You were never actually appointed as that, remember? You were being planned to and were in training, but lost your memories before that happened. Unofficially, yes, you are his guardian angel, but not officially. And even if you _were_ , you'd only be able to sense Sorey's pain if it was vital. He wouldn't be able to feel yours.”

“Then why –”

“Use your head, Meebo,” Edna said, looking slightly amused. “Why do you think you fell for the guy so quickly and that Heaven was determined to protect you, because you knew the Shepherd?”

Mikleo thought over her words. “Well, I can only think of one thing, but it sounds pretty stupid.”

“What is it?” Zaveid grinned.

There was a small hesitation before he spoke. “Soul-mates? I don't know, that's fairy tale stuff.”

“Bingo,” Edna said. Mikleo blinked, making her chuckle. “God, why are you surprised? You're an angel, _surely_ you can believe in something like that.”

“But what exactly does it mean?”

“It's when the aura of two souls combine with each other perfectly,” Lailah explained. “All of your traits, similarities, differences, flaws – they come together as one heart in two bodies. Of course, love exists outside of this bond, but those who are soul-mates experience something indescribable. It's terrifying yet beautiful all at once.”

“That… That seems to make sense,” Mikleo responded quietly, smiling softly.

“Look at how love struck he is!” Zaveid laughed, giving Mikleo a nudge with his elbow. “I've been waiting for this day for _ages.”_

“And it really is a big deal,” Edna said. “Romantic ones are beautiful, but all are, too.” Her voice dropped a little quieter. “Sometimes, the souls of others can share a similar bond. Friends and family. It's what Eizen and I have, and is why I feel his pain.”

A silence fell on the scene, the mood dropping. Edna opened her mouth, as though she was regretting changing the mood so drastically, but it closed again, unsure of what to say. It was Zaveid who broke the silence, his voice sincere.

“I'll do whatever I can for you both,” he said. “I promise.”

“You've said that before. Don't worry, I'm fine. I guess – I guess I'm just still a bit shaken up. That's all.”

She protested as Zaveid pulled her into a hug, but didn't struggle, finding beloved warmth and comfort in his hold.

“I know.”

A silence fell again, though this time, it felt a little more peaceful with the sight of Zaveid and Edna comfortingly close. Neither seemed to plan to move for a while. Mikleo noticed that there was no romantic connotations to this embrace; it seemed much more like brother and sister. Deep down, he felt a longing to share their bond, realising it could have very well been down to the friendship he had lost his memories of.

Before long, he had received a message from Rose informing him that she would soon be arriving in Lastonbell. He glanced at Sorey before facing the other angels. “I'll go find her and give her Sorey's car keys.”

“We'll watch over him carefully, Mikleo,” Lailah said reassuringly, sensing Mikleo's protectiveness and reluctance to leave. He merely nodded, reaching into Sorey's pocket for the keys before he hovered over him for a moment, eyebrows furrowed.

“I'll be back soon,” he said quietly, brushing his lips against Sorey's lightly before he got to his feet, making his way over to Lastonbell. It was lucky that he didn't encounter any hellions on his way; after all, his mind was incredibly distracted over the thought of leaving Sorey where he was. He could truly see what Lailah meant by the bond of soul-mates being both a terrifying and beautiful thing.

Shaking his head in a failed attempt to clear his worry, he typed out a message to Rose.

_'I'm at the car park near the smaller shopping district, the one close to the south entrance of Lastonbell.'_

The reply he received was almost instant. _'I'm almost there.'_

Sure enough, before long, he spotted the figure of Rose walking over to the car park. He was a little taken aback by her appearance, which was much different than when he had saw her in Sorey's home. Whilst not as messy as it had been when Sorey visited, her hair needed brushing, as well as the rest of her appearing rather dishevelled. Her face was tired, eyes expressing how worn out she was, as well as a small amount of fear. The dark circles which were beginning to form under them certainly didn't help with her appearance.

“Are you there?” she called out softly, glancing around to make sure no one was watching, but they weren't – not many people lingered in the area at this time, and those who _were_ there walked on by with not even a glance.

“Yeah, by Sorey's car.”

The voice startled her. Mikleo's heart sank a little at her clear discomfort, wishing that she would allow herself to see him. That way, she could at least see where the voice came from.

“Can I have the keys?”

“You might want to try to let yourself see me first,” Mikleo responded, voice a little quiet as he expressed his thoughts aloud. “I doubt you want keys dropping into your hand from nowhere, and –”

“I wouldn't know how to let myself see you even if I wanted to,” she interrupted, her own voice even quieter than Mikleo's.

Mikleo wasn't very sure himself, but there had to be a way. “Take a deep breath, and try to let yourself relax. You've seen glimpses of us before, so it's just your fear driving us away. Believe that there's someone behind my voice and tell yourself that you can see me. Please, Rose, I think it'd be much less frightening for you if you're able to see what scares you.”

There was a few moments of hesitation before she nodded silently. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she exhaled. Mikleo was rather impressed at how she seemed to be calming down quickly – or at least, that's how she appeared externally. Her eyes then opened once the trembling had calmed down. From the way they widened as she looked at Mikleo, he knew that his idea had worked.

“Well, hi,” Mikleo said, chuckling with a little awkwardness. She only continued to stare, before realising that she was still out in public. She coughed, holding out a hand without a word for Sorey's keys. He handed them to her, sliding into the passenger seat once it was unlocked. She glanced at him again before turning on the engine, finally speaking.

“I guess it's nice to have a face to go with your voice.” Despite how her voice had been calmed temporarily, she let out a yelp as she looked in the car mirror. “It's you!”

Mikleo turned quickly only to find Dezel lounging in the back seat. His arms were resting behind his head, as though he hadn't entered a car uninvited.

“Well, Mikleo,” he said. “Looks like you've convinced her to see us.”

“One is enough,” she said, sounding furious yet frightened at the same time. “Get out!”

“No,” he snapped back. “I'm your guardian angel, I've got to stay.”

“You're my _what?”_

“Shouldn't have let that slip.” His arms folded, eyes looking out of the window. “It's not like I _want_ to be it, you know. It just happens.”

Mikleo remembered how this wasn't entirely true, not with how much emotion had seemed to be behind Dezel's words. He covered his amused grin with his hand, watching as Rose sighed.

“Whatever. But what about Alisha? If you're going to stalk me, couldn't you have stayed with her, too? Let someone else be stalked for a change?”

“She's fine. I'm an angel, you know. I can sense things like illness, and she's recovering. She was even walking around as you left.”

“Still –”

“It's against my nature to be so far from you,” he said firmly. “I'm staying.”

“Fine, but if she's passed out from coughing or something, I'm blaming you and you're fixing it!”

“I can't heal _coughs!”_

Rose huffed, finally beginning to drive. Apparently, annoyance was overriding her fear. In a way, Mikleo actually felt glad about this; he'd much rather see her be annoyed than terrified.

“He's round this way,” Mikleo said. Rose stopped the car, Dezel staying where he was as Mikleo led her round, casting glances to the sides of them. The three angels waiting for them looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, though Mikleo's eyes weren't focusing on them. He crouched down by Sorey, brushing his fringe away from his eyes, smiling sadly at the light, steady breathing.

“Rose is here now,” he said quietly. “It'll be fine.”

But Rose was looking fearful once again over seeing yet more angels. She was shaking her head slowly, one foot stepping behind her.

“N-No… This is too much...”

“Rose –” Lailah began, but stopped when she saw Rose flinch. It was Mikleo's voice which caused her to ground herself.

“Please,” he said, his voice pleading. “Please just focus on Sorey.”

She nodded, not letting herself glance at the angels at all as she bent down by Sorey. Mikleo helped shift him onto her back – she winced from the weight, but still managed to lift him off the ground. Perhaps her will to get out of there as soon as possible was helping her to ignore the discomfort of Sorey's heaviness.

“Will you be staying here?” Lailah asked Edna and Zaveid, who both nodded.

“We're going to see if we can find him again,” Zaveid answered.

“But contact me when he wakes up,” Edna said quietly. “Please.”

Lailah smiled sadly. “It's not like you to be so worried.”

“Sorey didn't know me before recently, yet he was so determined to help with Eizen, even risking his life to Armatize with you. Of course I'm going to be worried.”

It wasn't a regular thing for Edna to express emotion so freely. It was refreshing to hear. Lailah smiled, bowing her head to them both as they said their farewells, before hurrying to catch up to Mikleo, Sorey and Rose. The latter was now working with Mikleo to place Sorey gently in the middle seat, his head lolling against Mikleo's shoulder once he was sat inside. Mikleo partly wished that Dezel wasn't in the car so that there'd be room for Sorey to lie down, but he knew that Dezel wouldn't just leave Rose on her own. He was beginning to realise just how strong these bonds were, and he was sure that it would affect Dezel greatly to be away from her.

“Sorey owes me big time,” Rose muttered as Lailah got into the passenger seat, giving Rose a wide smile which wasn't returned. “Really, _really_ owes me big time.”

But when she peered into the wing mirror to watch Mikleo place a kiss on top of Sorey's head, the hold on him protective, she knew that she had done the right thing, even with how frightened it was making her feel.

 

* * *

 

 

The car journey was filled with incredible tension. For almost two hours, they remained mostly silent. Lailah tried to crack a joke here and there, lightly trying to bring up conversation. But whenever she did so, Rose's grip on the steering wheel always grew tighter, her knuckles turning white, which caused Lailah to soon stop speaking. Dezel was silent himself, staring out of the window, seemingly lost in thought. Meanwhile, Mikleo's gaze consistently shifted between the car window and Sorey. He was glad that the night was dark; there was less chance of people looking inside and seeing him. This was the least of Mikleo's worries, however. If this state of unconsciousness could last for days, then he had no idea how he would cope by then. Seeing Sorey, someone who was usually so passionate and determined, to be vulnerable was foreign. It just didn't fit the man he loved.

After what had seemed to be hours on end, Rose eventually pulled up by Sorey's apartment block. She helped Mikleo get Sorey out of the car, lopping his arm around her shoulder.

“It'd look even weirder if no one sees anyone actually helping him,” she murmured, heaving Sorey up to the apartment block, Mikleo's arm supporting his waist. Lailah typed in the passcode so they could enter, and with gasped breaths, Sorey was settled down onto the bed in his bedroom once the duvet was pulled back, before it was then placed back over his body. He looked even more peaceful now that he was in bed; there was even a slight smile on his face, as though he was simply dreaming.

“Are you sure you don't want me taking him to the hospital?” Rose asked, sounding doubtful. “I mean, to be passed out like this –”

“This was caused by supernatural means,” Lailah explained, “so medical staff wouldn't be able to help. I'm afraid we'll have to wait until he wakes up on his own.”

“I see. Well, let me know when he does.” She waited for Lailah to nod before she left the room without another word, heading towards the front door, but a call from Mikleo stopped her.

“Wait, Rose!” She turned around, silently waiting for his words. “Thank you for helping us. For you to force yourself to see us, just so you can help him… That really does mean a lot.”

“Don't thank me. Like I said, I only did this for Sorey.”

She said nothing else as he left. No more words were called out to her, either; they probably understood that she needed space. _'Unlike a certain someone,'_ she thought to herself irritably when she spotted Dezel waiting for her outside. She barely looked at him, simply walking forward. She didn't have to twist her body around to know that he was following her.

“So you can finally see us,” he spoke out eventually.

“I've always been able to,” she responded quietly. “Mikleo was right. I was just letting fear stop it.”

“Are you still scared?”

“Terrified. Absolutely terrified.”

“Still a huge step, for you.”

“For me? What's that supposed to mean?”

There was a small chuckle. “With how long you've been pushing us away, I hadn't expected this.”

“Well, Sorey means a lot to me.” Her voice dropped further, pain evident there. “Plus, you're the angel that's always been following me around, aren't you? You know what happened to me. It's no wonder that I despise the supernatural.”

“I know.”

“I guess… I guess it's good to accept it, though. Even if it's just for Sorey.” There was a pause before she spoke again, still not turning around. “What's your name?”

“Dezel.”

“Unusual.”

“Just like you.”

Rose surprised herself by letting out a small laugh. “Maybe.”

She was entering her house eventually, Dezel long gone from sight. She assumed that even he knew his boundaries and kept a reasonable distance away from her. “I'm back!” she called out into the silence, turning on the hallway's light. Her dog's head peered around the doorway, managing to bring a smile to her face at the sight of him. “Hey boy, how's it going?”

The cheerful voice she used for the dog didn't seem to do its usual trick. Rose frowned as he whimpered, walking over to her, head low and tail in between his legs. She remained still as he licked her hand. She could see that his body was shaking.

“What's the matter with you?” she asked quietly. “You're usually not so...”

Her words trailed off, eyes widening in horror as fearful realisations struck her. She dashed passed the dog and up the stairs, stumbling in the darkness but not wanting to waste precious time by switching on the light. She only did this when she reached the master bedroom, eyes blinking against the brightness as her eyes scanned over to the bed, silently praying that her fears weren't true.

But the bed's emptiness confirmed her fears.

“Alisha?” Rose said quietly, her voice trembling. Behind her, the dog whined, and she stared at him, face pale. Her feet then took her around the room, though it was useless – where else would she be in this room but in the bed, with its covers out of place?

Even though she knew it was pointless, for Alisha would have called back if she was here, Rose ran out of the room and began to check through every other in the house, constantly stumbling during her panic. She consistently called out her wife's name over and over again, fear beginning to blind her eyes, shouts steadily becoming hoarse.

“Alisha?! _Alisha!”_

Though each room came up blank, and it wasn't until Rose was in the kitchen that she accepted that her search was useless. She fell to the floor, her legs no longer able to function. She wanted to shout, to scream, but her throat seemed to stop her. It even stopped her from crying, though through her daze, she could make out that she was uncontrollably whimpering, arms hugging herself out of fear.

Then her eyes fell onto the floor by the fridge. It was seeing splattered blood on those tiles that caused her to finally scream out her wife's name in agony, the sound echoing off the walls, piercing through her ears.

This was all her fault. She had thought that no one wanted to ruin her life anymore. Alisha had convinced her to go, that she was recovering and would be fine to look after herself. Rose had believed her, yet she shouldn't have, because now it had brought them to this. And Dezel – if he didn't have to be Rose's guardian angel, if he had just _stayed..._

Long ago, everything had been taken away from her. Now she was helpless as it happened all over again.

 


	17. Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Dezel join with the other angels in order to find a way to save Alisha, though they were all soon to realise that the costs could be severe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've made you worry over Alisha. 
> 
> *Person in the background yells that I'm not* You're right, I'm really -
> 
> Ahem. I've now raised the rating to Mature because I feel as though later content is unsuitable for the Teen rating. I thought I'd do it now ready. Enjoy the chapter!

In a room full of darkness was a girl with a thousand questions running through her mind, yet she mostly settled on a single, simple one: _why?_

She hadn't known what happened. One second, she was in the kitchen, deciding that she was well enough to prepare some food, in need of the nourishment. Then in an instant, her mind went black. It was only until her eyes had opened, her mind easing back into consciousness, that she realised that she had been knocked out from a blow to the back of her head, which was now throbbing painfully.

Clearly, her captors' aims weren't to kill her – after all, she had been given food and water as soon as she had awakened. However, it was the woman who had given her water who she didn't understand. _“Why?”_ she had whispered again and again, worse betrayal than she'd had ever felt washing over her. The one she had trusted since she was young, with a strict yet caring personality… She had betrayed her, locking her here for a reason she was slowly seeming to understand.

But this understanding could only come from the woman's speech to others Alisha wasn't able to see. This was something she _couldn't_ understand, no matter how much she listened – was the woman insane, or was there something that Alisha genuinely couldn't see? There didn't seem to be any wires anywhere, so she doubted that there were any other way for there to be communication, other than for the others to be here with them. But why couldn't she hear nor see them? She didn't know. She couldn't know, because she only heard two voices; the one of the woman with her back to Alisha, and Alisha's own voice, whimpering for an explanation.

“ _Her being here… It is only one step to what will cause his misery.”_

Whose misery? She couldn't imagine who they'd want to cause misery to.

“ _We will have to see if he is taken over by malevolence. If he isn't, then at least he has been provoked. That in itself is a large step towards our goal of tainting him.”_

It made no sense, no sense at all about who they would taint – that is, if there really was others she couldn't see in this room.

 _'Please come for me, Rose,'_ she ended up pleading in her mind, terrified of the unknown. _'Or anyone… Please,_ please _help me...'_

 

* * *

 

 

It was difficult to estimate how long Rose remained crumpled on the floor. Her throat was hoarse from tears desperately needing to fall, but never doing so from how paralysed she was. Her eyes simply stared, unseeing. Her breathing was irregular, chest tight from her panic. Everything had fallen down on top of her – the past she suppressed, the return of what she feared, and now her true love being taken from her… It was as though it was all a physical weight, keeping her to the spot.

But eventually, she managed to somewhat control her breathing, driven by the thought that nothing would be solved by her shaking uncontrollably like this. Her legs were still too weak to move, but she glanced over at the blood on the floor, trying to think rationally. There was nowhere near enough there for Alisha to have been killed by whatever injury caused blood to spill. It was more like it had been left for Rose to find.

She managed to scramble to her feet, walking over to the back door, which she had remembered locking. With a trembling hand, she pushed down the handle. It opened, revealing what Rose had assumed from her rationalised thinking in regards to the blood. Alisha had been kidnapped.

A hand reached into Rose's pocket to quickly pull out her mobile, ready to call the police, but she stopped. There was no one in Ladylake that would have broken into her house to kidnap Alisha. Rose would've been told if Alisha had any enemies, for Alisha wouldn't want her wife to get into trouble because of a lack of knowledge. No, this wasn't just anyone. The hairs on the back of Rose's neck stood up on end. The only answer she had was that this was the cause of the supernatural.

Anger surged through her despite her breath-taking fear. Was it really so hard to ask for a peaceful life? Was it going to be this way forever?

“Hey,” a voice suddenly said from the doorway, startling her. She turned around, eyes landing on Dezel. “I heard you scream, then saw you there, and I –”

“Thought you'd watch the show of me sobbing?” she snapped.

“No, I just… I know how you don't like us, and I didn't want to make you worse. Alisha's gone?”

“Yes, she is,” Rose said, leaning back on the kitchen counter behind her. “And guess what? It wouldn't have happened if you had stayed!”

“I told you why I couldn't,” he said, gritting his teeth. “We're connected by a bond. If I stray too far from that, it could only result in consequences.”

“So for the second time, it's you not being in the right place at the right time which has caused something to happen.”

He visibly flinched at that. “You remember –”

“Of course I do. A lot of my childhood isn't clear, but that day is staying with me forever. I hope you're happy about that.”

“Did you not see the state I was in? It wasn't my fault!”

Rose paused from that statement, the image of blood trickling down his face from beneath his hands flickering in her mind. “Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. So this – do you think it was caused by something relating to your kind?”

Dezel hesitated, before deciding on the truth. “Yeah, it was likely demons. They probably want to taint the Shepherd.”

“The … Shepherd? What?”

“Sorey. You don't know about that?”

“No. What, he herds sheep?”

An amused smirk, one which only added to Rose's annoyance, tugged on his lips for a moment, though it was soon to fade. “Well, he's probably the best one to find over this.”

“Great. I'll wake that damn guy up and explain why the Hell _my_ wife has been taken because he's the Shepherd, or whatever he is.”

“That might be a bit difficult,” Dezel stated. “Seems as though he passed out from Armatization, which means he might be out for a while.”

“Arma-what?”

“God, you really are in the dark about everything.”

“Thanks for letting me know,” Rose said sarcastically.

“We can always go talk to Mikleo. He'll let us know when Sorey wakes up, and he's probably with Lailah, who might be better at explaining the Shepherd thing to you than me.”

“Right, let's go,” she said, marching out of the kitchen without another word. Dezel frowned – whilst Rose had always had this kind of bossy attitude, she had never sounded like this. It was as though every ounce of joy and cheerfulness had been drained from her. It's not like he could have blamed her for that, however.

She decided to drive to Sorey's in order to get there as soon as possible, the journey silent with not one glance at Dezel. As guilty as it made him feel to think so in this kind of situation, he couldn't help but think that with this seriousness she had buried inside of her, she would have made an excellent Shepherd herself.

The door to the car was slammed rather loudly, Dezel assuming that her anger over everything happening was increasing. He followed as she bounded up the steps before knocking on the door, loudly and continuously. A breathless Mikleo answered it, looking confused at seeing Rose and Dezel standing there.

“What're you –”

“I'm coming in,” Rose interrupted, forcing her way inside, Dezel following. Mikleo raised an eyebrow before closing the door, folding his arms.

“I think both of you have an issue with barging into people's homes uninvited.”

“What's going on?” Lailah's voice asked, peering her head around the kitchen archway, where she was making tea for her and Mikleo. “Oh! It's you two. Why are you here?”

“My wife has been kidnapped,” Rose stated bluntly, “by what Dezel thinks is demons.”

A moment of silence fell. “Alisha?” Mikleo said quietly, flashes of the woman's radiant smile going through his mind.

“That's right. And I can't exactly go to the police if it was some supernatural being.”

“She must have been taken because of Sorey,” Lailah said, holding a hand to her mouth. “She means a lot to him, after all.”

“Exactly. I need you guys to help me.” Her voice had grown quieter now, her form becoming more vulnerable now her rage was fading. “Please,” she ended up whimpering, lowering her head. “Please help.”

“We will, I can assure you,” Mikleo said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Why don't you sit down?”

She nodded, too caught up in her emotions over Alisha to care about being looked after by the creatures she had always feared. Dezel remained standing, uncertain, but he made sure to keep close to the sofa that Rose had sat down on. Lailah handed Rose the cup of tea which was supposed to have been her own.

“Lemon balm tea,” she said. “It'll help relax you.”

Rose mumbled a 'thank you' before sipping the liquid, its heat soothing. She breathed out deeply, trying to calm her nerves. Lailah, like Dezel, remained standing, but Mikleo sat down in the armchair opposite her.

“Can you tell us what happened?” he asked once her body seemed to have visibly relaxed. She nodded slowly, placing the mug in her hands down on a coaster on the coffee table.

“As you might know from Sorey, Alisha's been ill recently,” she started. “She's been sleeping a lot and can walk to the kitchen now, so when I told her I would be gone for a few hours to help Sorey out, she said it'd be fine. When I got home, it didn't feel right. Our dog was whimpering and was terrified. It kind of hit me then. She wasn't in her room, and she wasn't anywhere in the house, either. The only trace that something had happened was blood in the kitchen.”

“Blood?” Lailah repeated quietly. “How much?”

“Not a lot. It was probably just to scare me.” She laughed humourlessly, resting her elbows on her thighs as she hid her face in her hands. “It worked.”

“It might have been Symonne and the rest,” Mikleo said to Lailah, who nodded in agreement.

“She does want to bring malevolence to Sorey, after all.”

“I'm confused about that whole thing,” Rose said, her head rising. “What does Dezel mean by him being the 'Shepherd'?”

“The Shepherd is a person who is chosen by fate to rid the world of excess malevolence in order to achieve balance,” Lailah explained. “They always have a high resonance – what lets people see angels, I mean. The Shepherd works closely with angels, hence why Sorey knows us all.”

“How long has he been doing that for?”

“It's been over two months, now,” she said. “It happened a few weeks after he met Mikleo.”

A thought seemed to cross Rose's mind, her eyes curious. “Two months… Sorey being the Shepherd didn't happen to change the city, did it?”

Lailah smiled. “You are fairly quick. Yes, Sorey, along with Mikleo and I, purified this city of the overwhelming malevolence which was plaguing it.”

“What d'you know,” Rose said, leaning back on the sofa. For a moment, there had been a smile on her face. “It was down to Sorey.”

“Sorey has certainly gotten used to his powers very quickly.”

“Sounds like a heavy burden.”

“It is, very much so,” Lailah admitted. “But it is very rewarding.”

“And you probably know that Sorey is very adaptable to things,” Mikleo contributed, drawing Rose's eyes to him. “He was surprisingly relaxed about the whole thing, excited more than anything else.”

“That sounds like Sorey.” Her eyes were soon becoming worried again. “Anyway, enough of that – will you guys be able to help me?”

Mikleo hesitated. “We can, but...”

“We would be stronger with Sorey,” Lailah said. “We also have a companion who would likely help. Plus, we don't know where Alisha could be, either.”

Rose's heart sank. “You can't just… I don't know, ask your folks in Heaven or something? If it exists, that is.”

Feeling guilty, Lailah shook her head. “I'm afraid not. We're unable to contact them at this moment in time. But I promise that we _will_ help you to the best of our abilities.” She bowed her head for a moment. “Angels are able to contact each other through our pact. I will go speak to Edna now and ask for her assistance.”

Rose looked confused as Lailah walked away into the kitchen so she was undisturbed. “What pact?”

“Shepherds make pacts with angels,” Dezel answered before Mikleo had the chance to. “There's the Prime Lord, who is Lailah. She has the power to purify malevolence and has Sorey as her vessel, heightening her power. Then there's Sub Lords, who fall under the Prime Lord.”

“I'm one of them,” Mikleo continued. “We acquire the Prime Lord's power of purification, and become connected to the Shepherd, too.”

“I think I get it.” There was a small pause, as though she was contemplating something. “Is… Is there anything other humans can do to help Shepherds?”

Having no clue about this, Mikleo turned to Dezel for help.

“There is, but I don't know much about it,” he responded. 

“We'll ask Lailah when she comes back,” Mikleo said. Just as he finished those words, Lailah had entered the lounge, smiling at them reassuringly.

“Edna says that she'll come in the morning. Zaveid will stay to keep track of Eizen. She seems to be growing very fond of Sorey, I must say. She must be if she is willing to help like this.”

“That's good to hear,” Mikleo smiled, turning to Rose. “See, we'll help you.”

Rose nodded. She was surprising herself by feeling relaxed and comforted in the angels' presence. It had been a very long time since she had felt like this; it was almost two decades ago, before the death of her parents. She wasn't sure if this was welcoming, or if she wanted to push them away.

“There's something we wanted to ask you, too,” Mikleo continued, bringing Rose out of her thoughts.

“What is it?” Lailah asked.

“Is there a way for other humans to help the Shepherd with their task?”

“There is, yes,” Lailah nodded. “The Squire pact. Being a Squire means that you share the Shepherd's power, able to purify malevolence, too. They can also then fully see angels, demons and hellions, even if they did not have resonance previously.” She titled her head in curiosity. “How come?”

“I was just wondering, that's all,” Rose said quietly. Lailah was slightly surprised that it was her who had spoken, for she had directed the question at Mikleo, but she felt a little joy over Rose's words. Rose, however, seemed suddenly uncomfortable, deciding to move on. “And what's that… You now, 'Arma' thing?”

“Armatization,” Dezel contributed.

“Yeah, that.”

“It is when a human and angel fuse together as one, combining their power,” Lailah explained. “Sorey and I did this earlier. It's why he is currently unconscious. It was his first time doing this, so it has worn his body out greatly.”

“He _will_ be okay, right?”

“Yes, of course. He just needs to recover his energy.”

Rose breathed out in relief. The last thing she wanted after the ordeal with Alisha would be to lose Sorey, too. She bit her lip over her thoughts wandering again. Where was Alisha right now? Was she hurt? Was she being tortured, or worse? Rose had no answers to any of these questions, and that lack of knowledge terrified her.

This fear was clearly written on her face, because Mikleo spoke up gently.

“I really am sorry that you've been involved like this.”

Rose surprised herself with her response. “It's not as though you wanted this to happen. It just did.” She had expected to be built up with anger when she came here, put the blame on the angels, yet she couldn't. Perhaps it was because she knew that these ethereal beings weren't out there to hurt her, despite how much she feared them. Then there was Sorey. He was a beautiful individual, his heart pure and his soul kind. There would be no way at all that he would have wished for Alisha and Rose to be dragged into his problems.

Plus, if they would go to these extremes, it was clear that Sorey's life wasn't safe anymore. Naturally, a life on the police force had stopped it being completely safe previously, but at least that was just with his work. Now it seemed as though his whole life was in danger.

“You look exhausted, Rose,” Lailah suddenly said, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Would you like to sleep here?”

For a moment, she wanted to say yes. Now Lailah had brought it up, she was able to take note of her increasing exhaustion even more. The travelling to Lastonbell, only to return home to this incident, was incredibly draining, both physically and emotionally. Her eyes were heavy, her body screaming for rest. Yet despite all of this, she shook her head. She didn't feel comfortable enough around these angels yet for her to stay with them overnight.

“I'm going to search for Alisha,” she said, getting to her feet. Her body swayed slightly as she did so. “They might still be nearby, and –”

“Please don't be reckless,” Lailah immediately pleaded. “Not only are you not in the right state to find her, you'd also be putting yourself in far too much danger even if you _were_ one-hundred percent.”

“Lailah's right,” Dezel said quietly. “Don't risk your own life to save hers, not when the outcome of it would be inevitable.”

Rose opened her mouth to speak, but Mikleo soon spoke himself. “We'll have a look around Ladylake now, okay?” he said. “In any secluded areas they might be hiding her.”

There was a moment of hesitation. “But...”

“Alisha would resurrect you just to kill you again if you died for her,” Dezel said. “Don't take on burdens you can't bear alone.”

Rose sighed and nodded, finally listening to their words. “All right. But I'll be back in the morning. Please, let me know if you find her.”

Lailah nodded. “Of course I will.”

“And I'll go back with you,” Dezel suggested. He was expecting her to decline this, but to his surprise, she nodded. But when he thought about it, he realised that the extent of how shaken she was would bound to cause her to not be alone, even if it meant her staying with the angel she had always avoided.

The two left without another word, leaving Mikleo and Lailah in a heart-pounding silence. The latter broke it, her voice quiet.

“I was hoping that Symonne's warning wouldn't be this serious,” she said, lowering her head. “I've been a fool.”

“Don't blame yourself,” Mikleo responded, getting to his feet, eyes still on Lailah as he did so. “That won't help in this at all.”

She nodded. “You're right. Shall we get going? I don't recommend for us to face her captors on her own, but even finding clues would be a benefit to us.”

Mikleo nodded, but hesitated for a moment. “Give me a second.” He silently walked over to Sorey's bedroom, opening the door and letting his eyes fall on the still figure underneath the duvet. With a pained expression, he bent over the bed and pressed his lips against Sorey's. Without a word, he then left, returning his gaze to Lailah.

“Will he be all right here?” he asked. “After what happened with Alisha...”

But she smiled, nodding her head. “Once we are certain who the Shepherd will be, we can cast protection over their home to cast out unwanted supernatural creatures. That includes Symonne; we managed to collect some of her blood to fuse with the enchantment.”

Mikleo sighed in relief. “That's all right, then.”

With one last look at the bedroom door, the two left, barely any words being spoken between them as they searched the night.

 

* * *

 

 

Their search had been unsuccessful, unable to find any signs of where Alisha could have gone. Whilst naturally disappointed, Rose had expected as much from their first search. Despite how exhausted she'd been, she had barely managed to sleep from her anxieties. How on Earth could she have slept, knowing that her wife was currently taken hostage somewhere, potentially harmed?

Her being awake so early at least allowed her to assist Sorey, who was still unconscious. She rang Sergei for him, explaining that Sorey had fallen ill suddenly the previous night and was still sleeping. If she had called anyone else, it wouldn't have been enough, but she was on good terms with Sergei due to her marriage with Alisha. Being able to do this for Sorey helped her to feel at least a little less useless, which she was certainly feeling as such with the little she could do for Alisha.

She was grateful for the angels to help her even whilst Sorey was unconscious. Edna in particular seemed to be blaming herself, even if she tried to hide it. Rose learnt that Sorey went to Lastonbell for Edna, so she assumed that it was this which caused this blame. Even with her fury and her negative thoughts, she couldn't blame Edna. After all, it wasn't as though she requested for Alisha to be taken whilst Sorey was helping her.

Another day passed with no luck. Whilst the angels had spread out across the city, also adventuring out into Lakehaven Heights and Marlind, Rose had visited Maltran's house. Maltran was Alisha's adoptive mother, and so not wanting to worry her, she didn't tell her that Alisha was missing as she went into the dining room with her for a cup of tea. She simply went to see if Maltran had seen her recently, getting this answer by Maltran asking how Alisha was doing, that she was thinking of visiting soon. Rose had panicked from that, but luckily managed to spin a lie about how Alisha was very contagious, Rose simply having a very strong immune system. The fact about her immune system wasn't a lie, so her words were believed. As guilty as Maltran seemed, Rose knew that this would be enough to keep her away from their house for a little longer. Whilst still healthy, Maltran's own immunity had lowered with age. It was necessary that she looked out for herself.

The following day from this at least brought one moment of positivity; Sorey finally woke around midday. It was well timed, too, for Rose and the angels had returned to Sorey's apartment in order to discuss the places which had been searched through so far, and whether they should start travelling to Rolance. Mikleo's speech had stopped a little abruptly, and with curiosity flickering in his eyes, he crept into Sorey's room, smile breaking out on his face when he realised why he had felt the need to go check on him. Sorey was sitting up in bed, looking a little confused as he stretched his arms.

“You're awake,” Mikleo greeted, sitting down on the edge of the bed. It was taking everything in him to not throw his arms around Sorey in relief, but he managed to hold himself back, not wanting to express such embarrassing emotion.

“How long was I out for?” Sorey asked, now running a hand through his hair, even messier than usual from his long sleep.

“Three days.”

“Three _days?!”_ Sorey echoed, eyes widening.

“You've been sleeping like a baby,” a voice giggled from the doorway. They turned their gaze to Lailah, who was beaming down at Sorey. “Welcome back.”

“Was it because of Armatization?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “It can wear a human out greatly, especially the first time.”

“Can it … Affect resonance, too?”

Mikleo didn't look concerned, for he didn't know the answer, but Lailah frowned. “No, I've never heard of such a thing. What do you mean, Sorey?”

“For a moment, before everything blacked out, I couldn't see any of you,” he explained. “I was about to call out, but my head was spinning too much and I couldn't speak. I think earlier on in my sleep, too, I couldn't sense anything. But then soon after, I could feel Mikleo when he was here.”

“I can only answer with that it might have been Heldalf,” she said, pondering over the situation. “Perhaps the great deal of malevolence affected you more than it did with us.”

“Honestly, I'm glad he chose to turn up after we armatized, then. It was… Scary, to be honest. I don't know what I would've done if I had been left there with no sense of you guys, instead of passing out.” He tilted his head in curiosity. “How _did_ I end up back here, anyway?”

“Rose helped us,” Mikleo told him. “I used your phone to call her.”

Sorey blinked. _“Rose_ did? But she...”

“She's terrified of us, I know. But she was willing to look past that to help you.”

He smiled gratefully, warmth filling his chest. “I see.”

“She's here now, along with Edna and Dezel.”

“Wait, why are they here?”

There was a moment of silence, before Lailah cleared her throat, trying to will her voice to work. “They're… They're helping us find Alisha,” she responded, deciding that getting straight to the point would be for the best. “She was taken whilst Rose was gone.”

Another silence fell, the tension in it increasing. Worry now gripping at his chest, Sorey swallowed, suddenly in a struggle to speak. “By who?”

“We suspect demons.”

He lowered his head into his hand, a mixture of guilt and fury building up inside him. “This is what Symonne was talking about,” he said quietly. “Alisha was taken because of me.”

Lailah couldn't deny those words, for she knew just as well as him that Symonne was trying to arise negative emotion out of him. But she was still able to be warm-hearted. “The only one we can truly blame is whoever decided on this should happen,” she stated calmly.

“She's right, Sorey,” Mikleo added. “Yes, Symonne is trying to get to you, but it isn't as though you asked for that. The blame falls on her and whoever is working with her.”

Sorey nodded slowly, trying to accept those words. “That's true. Thank you – both of you.”

“No need to thank us.”

“Always a pleasure,” Lailah smiled.

“I should go see her,” Sorey said, starting to shift his legs to the side of the bed, but Mikleo's hands were immediately holding onto his shoulders.

“Woah, there,” he said. “You've only just woken up, don't do anything stupid!”

“He'll be fine, Mikleo,” Lailah said, a little amused. “No need to be a mother.”

Mikleo huffed, standing up with his arms folded. “Well, excuse _me_ for trying to be caring.”

“I'll never excuse you for that,” Sorey grinned, getting up onto his own feet, before he took a moment to wrap his arms around Mikleo. “Come on, admit it. You were worried for me the whole time.”

“Not at all,” was the reply, even though the head burying itself into Sorey's shoulder and the arms wrapped around his neck told a different story. “In fact, it was nice without you bothering me.”

“Of course,” Sorey responded, pulling back before kissing his lips. “I totally believe you.” With some reluctance, he parted from Mikleo fully. “I'd best go see her.”

Mikleo nodded, the two of them following Lailah out of the room. Rose, who had been in discussion with Dezel, Edna listening close by, looked up as they entered. She automatically stood up when she saw Sorey grinning at her, giving her a small wave.

“You're awake!” she exclaimed, and for a moment, there seemed to be an ounce of her previous cheerfulness back in her voice, but it was rather quick to fade as her expression fell. “I'm sorry, though, I don't have much time to celebrate.”

She looked down, biting her lip, ready to tell Sorey what happened, though the words lodged in her throat. However, she didn't need to say anything at all; Sorey had taken her hand, the immediately comforting contact causing her head to rise back up again.

“I know what happened,” he said softly. “And I'm going to do everything I can to help you find her. I promise.”

She nodded, not wanting to speak because she was sure that if she did, she'd burst into tears. She was done crying, even if Sorey's presence often gave her the encouragement to do so if she needed. Eventually, she _did_ speak, though it wasn't about Alisha.

“I helped you out, by the way,” she said, taking her hand from Sorey to place both hands on her hips. “Rang Sergei for you and told him you were sick as Hell. He believed it.”

“Seriously?” he questioned, grin returning. “Thanks, Rose!”

“You owe me one, saving your ass _twice.”_

“Heh, I don't really like the sound of that...”

They both laughed, the sound from Rose utterly beautiful after the days of distress she had been in. Mikleo and Lailah had already been aware of the beauty of Sorey's positivity and how it radiated on others. But for Edna, she was realising why Sorey was so focused on helping her. It was simply because he was an amazing person.

Dezel, too, was able to see this. He was beginning to realise that it wasn't being the Shepherd which is what made Sorey special. It was he himself, his beautiful personality bursting with happiness. It was the Shepherd they needed after the fall of the last.

 

* * *

 

 

Even with Sorey on their side, they still had no success as a few more days passed by, Rose's distress becoming increasingly difficult to witness.

They tried to track malevolence in the city to try and find them, for there were certainly more traces of it now. But it wasn't overwhelming, nor was it easy to pin-point. It often seemed scattered, unable to make out properly. It didn't help that Symonne, who they were naturally certain was leading this crime, did not radiate any malevolence at all.

Whilst the angels and Sorey did their best to not lose hope, knowing very well that they would not murder Alisha so suddenly as opposed to drag this out, Rose was certainly beginning to do so herself. There were times where she sat back, muttering about how they were never going to find Alisha, how their search would carry on until they eventually found her body. Sorey, for once in his life, was unsure of how to deal with this. Rose's personality was so similar to his own – cheerful, positive, full of life. It was hard to deal with this level of negativity and lack of hope. The advice he himself found comfort in fell on deaf ears. She was simply losing the will to fight.

It was surprisingly Dezel who was the one who changed her attitude, even if it was just a small amount. He wasn't unrealistically optimistic, spinning her the tale of how everything would be all right for sure. He simply stated the truth; Alisha was being held hostage to likely arise negative emotions from Sorey and Rose, using Alisha to play with their minds. By giving in to the hopelessness Rose had been feeling, she'd be letting them win. It was this realistic approach to getting Rose back on her feet that worked. She was still unbelievably shaken, still struggling to go through with her everyday life as though nothing was wrong. But his words at least returned a little bit of strength back to her.

It was exactly a week after Alisha's kidnapping when there was progress, though it wasn't the type they were hoping for.

Now knowing the password to enter the apartment, Rose burst through the door that morning, a crumpled piece of paper in her hand. Edna sat up on the sofa where she had been sleeping, startled from the sudden noise.

“What…?” she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

“Where are the rest?” she demanded. Dezel had now walked in behind her, slightly out of breath from keeping up with her fast pace from her car.

“We're here,” Lailah said, coming around the doorway to the kitchen, Sorey and Mikleo in tow. “What's the matter?”

“I found this on the kitchen counter earlier,” Rose said, handing the piece of paper in her hand to Sorey. Lailah and Mikleo shifted closer to him, Edna sliding off the sofa and popping her head up underneath Sorey's arms to also read it.

 

_As you can probably imagine, I am one of the culprits who stole your precious wife._

_We have her captive in the house of her adoptive mother. We will allow an attempted rescue, but it will be under certain circumstances, otherwise she will be killed without hesitation._

_Whilst he may be escorted, only the water guardian is permitted to enter the house. Anyone else joining him will result, as you can imagine, in the girl's death. It will be him and him alone who has the chance to save her._

_I look forward to seeing how this turns out._

 

_P.S: Better not hesitate too long. If she is not saved by the end of today, then there will be no more chances._

 

“What?” Sorey could only say quietly, the others next to him silently. The hands gripping onto the paper began to shake – whether it was from fear or anger, the others didn't know. “Why only him?”

“This has gone too far,” Lailah said, sounding as though she had the same combination of emotions as Sorey. “Kidnapping a human for blackmail? How could they even dare to do this?”

“They're making me choose between Alisha and Mikleo.” The paper in his hand began to crumple as his hand slowly closed into a fist, emotions slowly getting the better of him. He wanted to bellow about how wrong this was, how this wasn't what he chose to deal with when saying yes to being the Shepherd –

Yet when Mikleo spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm.

“No, they're not,” he stated. “That would only happen if I got killed.”

“You're not actually thinking of going, are you?” Sorey questioned, turning to Mikleo with wide eyes. “You can't possibly –”

“What other choice do we have? I doubt they're bluffing.”

“But what if you _are_ killed, Mikleo?” he demanded, his tone rising. The paper fell to the floor as Sorey gripped onto Mikleo's shoulders roughly, forcing their eyes to meet. “What then?”

From those words came the memory of the incident at the graveyard, where Mikleo hadn't been aware that he could die once again. He remembered Sorey's fear in that moment, the frustration he felt over Mikleo's recklessness. Only now, it seemed even worse. It was understandable, but Mikleo wasn't who he was back then. He could fight. He wouldn't be walking in without defending himself.

“I'm not going to be killed,” he responded, still trying to keep his voice calm. “Look, how else would we save her? She'd be killed in an instant if you came inside with me and you know it.”

Sorey bit his lip, knowing that the words were true. “Still, this is… You can't expect me to stand by and –”

“This isn't about you,” Mikleo interrupted, voice suddenly harsher. “This is about Alisha, and I'm _not_ going to let her be killed because you chose to hold me back!”

“Mikleo...” Lailah said, concerned over what retort this would arise, but to her relief, Sorey didn't seem to want to retaliate.

“You really are stubborn about this, aren't you?” he asked, voice now much quieter, hands on Mikleo's shoulders loosening.

“As a rock.” There was a slight smile on his face out of amusement for a moment, before he continued. “Look, I might not know Alisha personally. But from what I've seen, she is an amazing person. And I don't think it is my duty to just protect you. I need to protect your happiness, too. That includes the ones you love.”

“You're someone I love, too.”

“Then I'll be sure to protect myself as well.” He brushed Sorey's hands off him gently as he turned around to Rose, confusion now written on his face. “I thought you had been to her adoptive mother's house?”

“That's what I'm confused about,” Rose frowned. “You don't suppose that something has happened to Maltran too, do you?”

“I hate to say this, but I wouldn't dismiss the idea,” Edna piped up. “I doubt they're holding her hostage right in front of her mum's face.”

“I appreciate the honesty,” Rose replied truthfully. She turned to Dezel, who she noticed had been quiet. “Do you have any idea about it?”

He was silent for a moment longer before he spoke. “I think I've sensed malevolence around there before. I wouldn't class anything out.”

“Chatting isn't going to do anything,” Mikleo said, walking forward. “The sooner we get there, the better.”

His movements were stopped by Sorey grabbing his wrist, his eyes widening at the fear he saw on Sorey's face. “You _are_ okay with this, right?”

“ _I_ am, even if you're not.”

“I don't know how you're so calm,” he said quietly. “How can you stay so composed?”

“Honestly? I'm terrified. But letting that show won't do anything. All I care about is getting Alisha out of there.”

Sorey nodded slowly. He swallowed, wanting to say more but unable to form the words. In his place, Rose stepped forward, eyes fixed on Mikleo.

“Despite how I am with your kind, I'm really starting to like you,” she said, voice surprisingly softer than it usually was. “You're willing to help someone who can't even see you, even if it means risking your life. I could learn a lot from you.”

She held out her hand for Mikleo to take. There was a pause, for Mikleo hadn't expected the gesture. But he soon took it into his own, giving her a smile. Somehow, her words had lifted some of his fear, reminding him of why he was doing this.

“It's my pleasure,” he said.

“We'll go with you,” Lailah spoke up. “Only to escort you. I – I don't want you to travel there on your own.”

“I appreciate the company.” The words were spoken casually, as though this was a much safer situation than it was. Sorey both admired that and also disliked it. He was watching the boy he loved ready to throw himself in danger, yet act as though it was a normal thing to do. Sorey couldn't help but wonder if it was to try and prove himself, or simply to not make himself more anxious than he already was inside. Either way, he was ready to jump into a dangerous situation to save a girl he barely knew.

That heart was certainly too pure for him to deserve to be forced into all of this.

 

* * *

 

 

The car journey held a tension much more severe than either of them had ever felt before.

Rose and Dezel were in her own car, naturally wanting to be there for Alisha's hopeful escape. In Sorey's car had Mikleo in the passenger seat next to him, with Lailah and Edna in the back. All were quickly becoming overrode by fear, yet surprisingly, it was Mikleo who still seemed to be the most calm. Sorey was certain, however, that this was only externally. He placed a hand on Mikleo's thigh, wanting to be as close as possible whilst he had the chance. Mikleo smiled at the contact, trailing light fingers across the back of Sorey's hand.

“I'll be fine,” he said quietly. “I've dealt with them on my own before, haven't I?”

There was no denying that he had already achieved a great feat from that, yet they weren't sure about who would be waiting for him, and the fight had been stopped by his attackers last time. Sorey's hand squeezed gently in response. For once, his mouth was unable to form words. Even Lailah, who was always filled with wonderful advice, had no idea what to say in this situation.

Far sooner than Sorey would have liked, the two cars parked themselves in the street by Maltran's house. It was a quiet, secluded street, but maintaining secrecy was hardly on Sorey's mind at that time.

“Whatever you do, _don't_ come inside until Alisha is out of there,” Mikleo said. “I'm sure they won't hesitate to kill her if you do.”

Sorey nodded slowly, but realised what Mikleo's words meant – that he was aware that he might not be getting out of there _with_ Alisha. He was pulled into a tight embrace, one of Sorey's hands burying itself into his hair, feeling as though letting go would be the hardest decision of his life.

“Come back safely,” he murmured into his ear, pressing a light kiss against his neck. “Okay?”

“Okay.” He yelped at Edna's umbrella jabbing him in the back of his knee. “ _Edna!”_

“Okay's not good enough,” she mumbled. “You have to promise.”

“Fine, I promise.” Still being held by Sorey, his eyes shifted to Lailah, who looked as though she was holding back tears. “Hey, come on. I'm not going to die or anything.”

“Please, Mikleo,” she whispered. “Be careful.”

He nodded. “I will.” Sorey's tight hold on him finally loosened in that moment, though it was to cup Mikleo's cheeks with his hands, lost and fearful eyes staring into his own before Sorey closed the gap with a desperate kiss. Fear fuelled his passion as he deepened it, Mikleo resting his hands on Sorey's chest with eyes squeezed shut. He could feel the emotions Sorey was expressing through this kiss, his need to feel Mikleo's lips against his own, to know that Mikleo was still here. It left him slightly breathless as Sorey pulled away, now planting a soft kiss on the corner of Mikleo's mouth.

“Wow,” Mikleo said simply, holding a hand to his mouth when Sorey's hands had moved to rest on his shoulders, unable to stop his face from flushing pink. “I'm not going to be that long. Relax.”

But Sorey was shaking his head. Clearly, he was worrying about that kiss being their last. Even with his composure, Mikleo feared the same, too. Though he smiled when Sorey kissed the top of his head, as gentle as it always was.

“Don't leave me waiting that long, okay?” Sorey questioned, trying to make his tone lighter.

“Right, right.” Mikleo gently pulled away from Sorey, his eyes landing on Rose for a moment, who was watching with tearful eyes. “Hopefully you'll have the chance to introduce me to Alisha someday.”

Rose nodded, unable to stop a single tear trickling down her face. She was unable to say anything, but Mikleo understood. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he walked by, before hovering outside the front door. With a deep inhale, he opened it, stepping inside and shutting it behind him quietly.

The appearance of this house was far too inviting for the situation he was in. He was faced with silence, a beautiful, elegant interior greeting him as he stepped into a room on his right, eyes peering around warily. Of course they wouldn't have made this simple and guided him to her.

His steps took him from the lounge and into a study with large bookshelves, which was also scarce of any presence. Next was the kitchen, which was a rather impressive size. This came up equally as empty.

Not losing confidence, nor losing care in his steps, he was about to ascend a staircase in the hall when he caught a glimpse of a slightly open door to his left. He walked over to it, pushing it gently, flinching as the hinges creaked. It led to a set of stairs leading downwards, darkness taking over rather quickly. Common sense told him that it lead to a basement. As cliché as he thought it'd be, he guessed that somewhere like this would be best for hiding Alisha. And so, he began to descend down the stairs, wishing that Lailah was with him, purely so she could use her flame to light this darkness.

He shivered once he reached the bottom of the stairs, the temperature unfitting against his light attire suitable for the warm weather outside. His eyes focused on the room in front of him, not needing to look around to see if his assumptions were right. By a dimmed, portable light, its small amount of brightness flickering, sat Alisha, legs tied to a chair with her hands behind her back. Her head was lowered, though he couldn't be sure if she was conscious or not. All he could tell was that she must have been in pain – her legs were visible from wearing a skirt, and as well as having dirt scattered on them, they were covered in bruises, dried blood trickled down a wound on her calf.

“Alisha,” he ended up saying quietly, stepping forward. It was in that moment that an elbow bashed on the back of his head strongly, knocking him to the floor. His ears rang and head began to spin, but he still swung out his leg to his attacker, trying to knock them to the floor. He wasn't fazed by their dodge – he merely conjured his staff as he scrambled to his feet, focusing his spinning gaze on them. He had expected Symonne, Lunarre, or even any other demon. What he hadn't expected was a human. Or at least, she appeared to be as such by appearance. The malevolence which seeped from her made it clear that she was a hellion, despite how her looks were deceiving.

“Who are you?” Mikleo demanded, holding out his staff to the woman in front of him. “Why have you done this to Alisha?”

“This is merely following orders,” the woman responded, her mature voice matching her appearance. “If that means sacrificing my daughter, so be it.”

Mikleo's body froze, eyes widening in shock. “You're –”

“Maltran, yes.” The woman held up a knife at him, her eyes flashing with a ferocious determination. “I have been told to deal with you. Alisha was the best way to do that.”

“Your own daughter,” Mikleo said lowly, the staff in his hand shaking slightly from anger. Thoughts of his own mother flashed through his mind, with her beautiful smile and tears she shed over him. “You would do this to your own _daughter?!_ ”

“If it is necessary,” Maltran replied calmly. “Besides, she is not my real daughter.”

Mikleo's head turned for a moment at the sound of a small whimper from Alisha, confirming that she was awake. She raised her head, fearful eyes gazing at Maltran, unable to see Mikleo at all.

“Mother, please,” she pleaded, her voice hoarse and frightened. Maltran ignored her, jumping forward to slash her knife to Mikleo, who dodged smoothly and countered with an arte which smashed into her shoulder, causing her to wince. Her arm reached up to block a direct hit of his staff, pushing him back before swiping her knife again, which inflicted a cut across his cheek. She was quick, the most powerful he had faced since Symonne and Lunarre, and it concerned him. He had no power to purify a human hellion on his own. Only the Shepherd would be able to finish this, meaning that he had to try and save Alisha without beating Maltran properly. Even after all she had done, he refused to kill her when she could be purified instead.

“Blades of ice, _Ice Reaver_ _!”_ he shouted, the shards of ice crashing against her chest, making her fall back with an angered cry. Her eyes narrowed, the knife in her hand beginning to cover itself in a black light before she jumped forward once again. She feinted an attack to his side before swiftly attacking in the opposite direction, the knife plunging itself into Mikleo's upper arm. He gasped out in pain, hand shaking furiously as he grabbed onto the woman's wrist to pull the knife out of his arm, aiming a kick to her stomach to push her back. He wasted no time in casting another arte, which barely scraped past her.

The confidence he had felt in his fighting was soon to lower as his eyes became blurred, the room spinning. For a moment, he thought that the impact against his head might have caused more damage than he thought, but then his eyes drifted to his arm. They widened in horror when he saw that the wound he had only imagined would be shallow was turning the skin around it purple, the veins in his arm slowly becoming more prominent.

“You should really be more careful,” Maltran said, tapping her knife against her fingers. “You are facing someone with far, far much more experience than you have.”

He glared at her, surprising her by managing to plunge forward and spin his staff against her head, releasing a cry of pain as she clutched it, blood trickling through her fingers. He spun it around again against her legs to cause her to stumble to the floor, but just as he had settled onto the balls of his feet to ready himself to attack again, he gasped at an immense pain shooting from his wound, causing him to fall to the floor next to her. The trembling of his body, the paling skin, severe colours of the skin around the wound – it was clear that this was poison.

Maltran chuckled as he coughed, causing blood to splatter onto the floor. He screamed as her fingers dug into the wound, agony unlike he'd ever felt before flaring from it. He bit down onto his lip, trying to quieten himself as his eyes bore into hers. She was smirking, an expression of triumph on her face.

“I would love to know how Lunarre and Symonne were unable to beat you,” she said, receiving a moan of pain from her fingers twisting the skin around the wound. “After all, you certainly do not seem strong now.”

Even with his mind losing itself from the pain, he maintained his glare. “You only got lucky that it p-poisoned me,” he rasped out. She laughed, but had to remove his arm when he swung an attack with his other hand. Apparently, she had thought the poison would stop him from being able to conjure up his power, for her eyes widened as he charged an arte. Water crashed down onto her back, a yell of pain escaping her, body falling on the floor. For a moment, she was left stunned on the floor, and Mikleo knew that this was his chance.

Wanting to reach for Maltran's weapon but feeling a strong surge of malevolence radiate from it, he it behind as he dashed over to Alisha, vision darkening yet still filled with a determination to save her. As his weakening fingers fumbled with the ropes around her wrists, he could hear her whimpering, incoherent words being spoken. Her wrists were free eventually, though he had no time to reach for her legs before Maltran kicked his side, forcing him onto the floor, arm twisting painfully under him. He retaliated with rising his staff so it smashed against Maltran's back, rolling out of the way as she fell to her knees. His foot kicked into her head, and in a struggle, he pinned her wrists to the floor, letting out a scream at Alisha.

“Untie your legs and go!”

But she couldn't hear him, and was apparently too afraid to move. Maltran fought him back, swiping her knife towards his chest, which he barely managed to block with his staff.

“Please, Alisha!”

“She cannot hear you,” Maltran hissed. “So I wouldn't bother trying.”

However, Maltran's voice was what seemed to snap Alisha out of her trance. She leaned over and began to untie the ropes around her legs with determination, obviously aware that someone was helping her. Mikleo breathed out in relief, aiming an attack at Maltran, who blocked it with her arm. Alisha was soon shakily on her feet, her eyes darting to Maltran, who she knew was clearly fighting with someone.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Stay safe.”

Despite feeling concern over how Maltran seemed to be in no rush to follow Alisha, Mikleo managed a small, relieved smile when Alisha ran out of the room.

She was dazed, perplexed, yet her mind was determined over one thing – she was sure that whoever who had just saved her hadn't come alone, and she was certain on who that person was. She stumbled up the stairs, her mind spinning, but she _had_ to ignore the pain in her body and the fever making her watery eyes blur. She passed through the hallway, hands on the wall next to her pushing her along.

“ _Sorey!”_ she screamed as finally made it out of the house. She felt relief when she saw him, before her eyes fell on Rose, who was immediately taking Alisha into her arms. Alisha was now sobbing, the days of her imprisonment and the injuries on her body all falling down on her at once, though she finally found comfort in Rose's hold. They lowered to the floor, Rose's hand burying itself in Alisha's hair.

“Alisha – oh God, _Alisha,”_ she was whispering, holding her wife tightly and kissing her head repeatedly. “Thank God...”

“Sorey, there's – there's someone in the basement, fighting my mother –”

“Maltran?” Rose questioned, but there was no time for Sorey to be questioning this. He nodded, Alisha's eyes widening when he reached out his hand – what she presumed to be one of these unseen creatures – and now had a sword in it. He raced past her without a word, Lailah and Edna trying to follow, though the sudden appearance of Lunarre and Symonne, who had stepped out a thick black smoke which caused the angels to cough, stopped them in their tracks.

“Oh no, you don't!” Lunarre cackled, aiming an attack at Lailah, who dodged smoothly. Panic surged through her – why would they stop them from going inside?

 _'It doesn't make sense for them to attack us here,'_ she thought to herself as she sent an incredible fury of flames in the direction of Lunarre, Dezel and Edna now aiming their attacks to Symonne. _'After all, Sorey isn't here. So why aren't they following him?'_

She could only put her hope in Sorey to find the answer, who was now thundering down the steps, a mild pain flaring up in his arm. His mind begged for Mikleo to be safe, that he was fighting Maltran off with no trouble, yet there was no stopping the panic in his chest.

As he entered the room, he discovered that there was reason behind his panic. The woman he had known for years, her body battered from continuous attacks, was holding up Mikleo by his neck, who was clutching onto her arm with a mixture of burning defiance and fear in his eyes. Sorey opened his mouth to shout Mikleo's name, stepping forward to break them apart, but his movements were far too delayed.

With her eyes locked on Sorey's, time seemed to move in slow motion as her grip on the knife's handle tightened, its blade plunging straight through Mikleo's stomach, twisting it before it was pulled out and his neck was released, body slumping down onto the floor.


	18. What Death Brings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The attack from Maltran leaves the group with overwhelming distress and uncertainty, in which Sorey is finding it hard to cope with staying how he has always been. Meanwhile, Rose opens up about a traumatic childhood and why she has been afraid for almost two decades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't leave you up here for too long because I know you want to get on with it, but please make sure to read the A/N at the end. Thank you!

There was a loud, ear-piercing scream which echoed off the walls of the dark room. Sorey soon realised that it was his own, most certainly not caused by the pain which was shooting through his stomach from their link to each other. Eyes glazed over with the highest amount of wrath he had ever experienced, the skin of his hands whitened from his immense grip on the handle of his sword as he leaped forwards towards Maltran, no sense of remorse in him despite how he had known this woman for years.

Instead of aiming to purify, the slash of his sword inflicted true, physical damage on her own human body, a shallow gash immediately bleeding across the length of her chest. If she had not stepped back, it would have been bound to result in maiming her. She hissed in pain, just barely fleeing in a cloud of black smoke as Sorey lunged forward again. His eyes screamed that his attack had not been to merely injure – it had been to kill, do whatever he had to do to put a stop to her actions. As soon as she left, he was ready to scream at her to come back, so he could take revenge –

But then he was pulled back by the sound of Mikleo's coughing reaching his ears. The sword fell from his hands, clanking against the concrete floor below as he was immediately by Mikleo's side, sliding down onto his knees. Mikleo was turned over on his side, crimson blood escaping from his mouth from his rasped, weak coughs. His hands were grasping at his stomach, the palms of which were stained with the same terrifying red.

“W-Where...” he ended up saying weakly, completely dazed. “Where a-am I?”

“Mikleo, it's me,” Sorey whispered, rolling Mikleo over as gently as he could. His eyes widened at the ghostly face which he was confronted with, the usual beauty of his ethereal paleness taken over entirely. A sheer line of sweat covered it, its droplets trickling down his cheeks and past greying lips. “Can you hear me?”

“S-Sorey?” he said, one of his hands releasing his stomach wound to cover his mouth as he coughed. He seemed to be less delirious now he could hear Sorey's voice, his eyes just barely open to meet his. They widened slightly as he realised what was happening. “A-Alisha, is she –”

“She's fine, don't worry about her. We need to focus on you.” He tried to keep his voice calm and steady, as though the situation wasn't as dire as it was, but he was failing to do so. He threw off his T-shirt, prying Mikleo's hand away from his wound so Sorey could replace it with the material. Panic surged through him when it became stained far, far too quickly. Exasperated, his head shot around to the stairs. “Where are they? They need to heal you! I'll take you outside – wait, Lunarre and Symonne are there, what if they try to finish this?!”

“Sorey,” Mikleo spoke out, trying to calm down Sorey's panic. “L-Look at me.”

Sorey did so, an arm now resting under Mikleo's shoulders bringing him closer so he laid on his lap. All the while, the T-shirt scrunched up in Sorey's hand grew darker and darker from the blood seeping through.

Mikleo smiled when seeing Sorey's eyes. “I-I wanted to see your eyes, b-before I –”

“Don't say it! Don't you _dare_ say that word! You're all right, they'll be here soon, there's no way you will –”

“Sorey.” Mikleo was shaking his head hopelessly. “Th-That weapon – it isn't n-normal, it's meant to kill angels. It's e-even poisoned. I – I can't...”

He coughed again into his hand, unable to hold in a whimper from the pain which jolted through his wound and chest. Forcing back tears, Sorey lifted up his upper body gently, leaning down to hold him closer. He knew what Mikleo was saying, but he couldn't accept it. He _wouldn't._ It couldn't all just end here.

“I – I don't know what to do,” Sorey whispered. “They're fighting, and I...”

“D-Don't do anything. Just hold m-me, that's all –”

“ _Stop it!”_ Sorey suddenly screamed, tears finally cascading down his face. “Stop making out as though you're going to die!”

“B-But –”

“I won't let you.” He was now whispering, his voice rasped. “I can't lose you. You're going to be okay. You _have_ to be.”

Through his panic, determination pulled through – a sudden idea came across his mind which gave him a small ray of hope.

“Mikleo, Armatize with me.”

“Wh-What?” Mikleo said into Sorey's shoulder, too weak to pull away to meet his eyes.

“Angels can't heal their own injuries because they can't use magic for themselves, but if we're sharing the injuries, surely we can heal each other?”

“N-No, it's too dangerous...”

“I don't care! We've got to try!”

“S-Sorey –”

“ _Please_ , Mikleo! I can't live without you, not anymore. I love you too much for that.”

A silence fell momentarily before Sorey felt Mikleo nod against his shoulder, not strong enough to say any more words. Sorey closed his eyes, remembering all that Lailah told him, knowing that it would be more difficult with Sorey being the one to initiate the Armatization. He focused on the bond connecting them both, imagining it was physical. Relief washed over him as he saw the familiar light, his hand reaching out to find Mikleo's –

But it all faded away before long, unsuccessful.

“I was right there,” Sorey whispered, breaths shallow, his body trembling. “I was _right there...”_ Angry at himself for his failure, he looked down at Mikleo, whose eyes were now closed. “Mikleo, don't close your eyes, _please_ don't close your eyes!”

They only opened again momentarily before he had to close them again. Sorey knew he had no choice now – he'd be dragging Mikleo out into danger, potentially letting them finish the job, but what did it matter now, where he was already at death's door?

Like he had done so in the past, Sorey slid his arm underneath the back of Mikleo's knees, other arm wrapped around his back as he lifted him up carefully, not wanting to jolt his body. His breathing was now becoming more irregular, each inhale and exhale seeming weaker, shallower –

“Hold on,” Sorey whispered as he climbed up the stairs, twisting his body so Mikleo's legs didn't scrape against the wall. Some of his feathers were falling from his wings, too fragile to stay. “Please, _please_ hold on...”

He was soon walking through the house, relieved when the front door was already open. Not caring for anyone who might have been further down the street, he screamed, “ _Lailah! Edna!_ Please, heal him!”

He had expected Lunarre and Symonne to lash out at him, but apparently, enough damage had been done to both Mikleo and Sorey for them to want to do more.

“Have fun watching him die, Shepherd!” Lunarre screamed at him, his eyes glowing wickedly with no sense of remorse. The two had vanished just as the angels had launched artes at them, two pleased smirks just noticeable before their disappearance. Sorey was far too angry at himself for hesitating, having not known that they didn't intend to kill off Mikleo, but the situation was too dire to focus on this regret.

Lailah let out a small scream upon seeing Mikleo properly, racing forward. Edna had been paralysed for a moment before she joined the older angel.

“Please,” Sorey begged as he settled Mikleo down on the floor, whose body had seemed to become lifeless. “ _Please_ save him...”

Lailah was holding out talismans above Mikleo in an instant, Edna doing the same with her umbrella – Dezel was also now rushing over, his usual expressionless face showing absolute worry.

“My healing power isn't as strong as theirs, but I'll try, too,” he said, holding his hands over Mikleo. Sorey was now kneeling by his side, holding one of Mikleo's hands to his lips as his eyes squeezed shut, no longer able to look at his body.

“What's going on?” Alisha, who was sitting down with Rose's hand on her shoulder, was staring at Sorey with confused yet hurt eyes. “What's happened?”

“An angel,” Rose explained simply, voice shaking as she stared down at the boy who had appeared to sacrifice his very life for them.

“Why is nothing happening?” Sorey demanded, the hands holding onto Mikleo's shaking violently. “Why aren't you healing him?!”

Lailah shook her head, tears falling from her eyes as she looked at Sorey, barely managing to speak. “I-I can't heal the dead.”

There was a silence, though Sorey was soon shouting before long. “What do you mean, you can't heal the dead?! _He's not dead!”_

“He… H-He must be if –”

“He's _not!”_ Edna screamed at her, quite unlike her usual self. “The three of us are injured and can't reach our power enough!” She scrambled to her feet, eyes burning with determination as she held out her umbrella. She breathed out, before her grip tightened. “ _Healing Circle!”_

A beautiful light erupted around them, encasing all of them inside, partially healing their injuries. Sorey's eyes widened in astonishment as he saw blood clear from them all, but the largest relief was from a weak inhale from Mikleo, whose eyebrows furrowed and hand in Sorey's quivered.

“He's alive,” Sorey said quietly, his voice rising as he spoke again. “ _He's alive!”_

“Focus, Lailah, Dezel,” Edna said calmly, crouching back down. Lailah nodded, her and Dezel exchanging a quick glance of agreement. Both inhaled deeply before casting their healing artes, bright lights surrounding Mikleo's body. Though it seemed to lessen the bleeding and heal minor wounds, there was something preventing the magic from reaching its full potential.

“What was he attacked with?” Lailah asked, seeming as though she was trying to keep her voice calmer than previously, yet there was still a high amount of concern evident in it.

“Some kind of knife,” Sorey responded, trying to steady his heart rate so he could at least think over what Mikleo had been telling him through his panic. “Mikleo said it was meant to kill angels.”

“That would be unsurprising,” Edna said. “Just in case there are ever angels or demons going against the balance, a small amount of weapons exist to kill them – devils, too. It's what Zaveid has.”

Lailah's eyes inspected the wound in Mikleo's arm, lifting his shirt and wincing at the much deeper, harsher one on his stomach, nausea building from the sight of the purpled skin and seeping blood. “It definitely seems like it was poison. Did he say it was, Sorey?”

Sorey nodded. She took a deep breath, telling them to hold on for a moment as she got up to her feet, wings taking her to the air as she flew over to forestry nearby. Meanwhile, Edna was panting as she used the last of her energy to impede the flow of blood, falling to his side once she had done, gasping for breath. Dezel was also beginning to seem drained, having to take a moment to breathe before he continued casting his artes, though the severity had at least settled.

Lailah was soon returning with small, thin plants in her hand, crouching down back by Mikleo's side.

“I don't want to have to do this, but...” She took Mikleo's jaw into her hand, mumbling an apology as she put the plants into his mouth and down his throat, forcing them to be swallowed.

“Is that an antidote?”

She nodded. “With the healing we've done, it should help him, even if it's just a little.”

“So… So he'll be all right?”

A silence fell, neither her nor Edna able to answer that. It was Dezel who spoke up, his voice quiet.

“We can't say right now,” he said. “It's rare to survive the attack of those kind of weapons and it might not stop bleeding for a while. It will have effects lasting for a prolonged time.”

“So it's up to Mikleo to pull through,” Lailah added quietly.

Sorey looked back down at Mikleo's face, which was contorted with pain in his sleep. Feeling hopeless, Sorey ended up leaning down, his forehead pressed against Mikleo's.

He should have never let him do this. They all knew it would be a trap, that there was every possibility of it turning out this way, yet they still let it happen. However, what would have happened to Alisha otherwise? Her death would have fell on their shoulders. He didn't want to lose her, either, especially after everything they went through together.

The thought of her caused his head to rise, looking over at her in worry.

“I'm sorry about all of this,” he said quietly. “I never wanted you to be dragged into this.”

“It's fine, an angel healed my injuries, even though I can't see them.” She looked down at what appeared to just be the floor besides him, guilt twisting in her stomach.

“We should get back,” Lailah suggested, rising to her feet. “Someone is bound to come this way sooner or later, and Mikleo needs to rest somewhere comfortable.”

Sorey nodded in agreement, reaching carefully under Mikleo to bring him back into his arms, rising to his feet steadily. He cast his eyes towards Alisha and Rose, guilt still heavy on his chest.

“I'm sorry again.”

“Just go get him to safety,” Rose responded. She, too, was guilty; this had happened to him because of her mistake to leave her wife alone, after all.

“I think you two should go home, too,” Lailah stated to Rose as Sorey walked over to his car, Edna trailing behind. “This has been a huge shock to you. And Dezel?” The man turned to her. “I know it's not your official duty, but please watch over Alisha after this has happened.”

“You don't need to tell me.” It was clear from his quiet voice that he, like the others in this situation, was blaming himself. Lailah smiled sadly in return, before a thought came to her.

“Sorey, where is your sword?”

He took a moment to reply, having been so focused on making sure Mikloe was still breathing. “It's still in the basement. Can you get it for me?”

She nodded, shoes clicking against the floor as she ran inside. When she returned, she found that Mikleo had already been placed in the back of the car, where she slid in and rested his head on her lap, hand over him steadily healing in order to temporarily stop the bleeding. Edna sat down into the passenger seat in the front, eyes glancing at Mikleo before she looked straight ahead, biting her lip. Sorey couldn't bring himself to look, not before he had to drive.

He did so in silence, no one feeling up to saying a word.

 

* * *

 

 

“Sorey? Sorey, please, say something...”

It had now been half an hour since they had returned to Sorey's apartment. Mikleo's blood-stained clothes had been changed into the nightclothes he had consistently borrowed from Sorey. The wounds were wrapped tightly in bandages – without them, blood would start seeping out again, and none of the angels had enough energy to consistently heal in order for no more blood to be lost. His body was still so pale that the bandages barely stood out against his skin.

Sorey had been lying next to him during this half an hour, an arm resting on his chest as Sorey's head buried itself into Mikleo's shoulder, hair brushing against the back of his head and neck. His other arm was underneath Mikleo's body, barely noticing that it was becoming stiff. He simply stayed there, his breathing irregular from panic, his thoughts much more wild than his still body presented.

Lailah turned to Edna hopelessly when she received no response, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to work out what to do. Edna shook her head when Lailah opened her mouth to say something to Sorey once more.

“Mikleo was mere moments away from death,” she said in a voice Lailah could barely hear. “Give Sorey a this moment."

Lailah nodded, surprised by how for once, it was her who needed to be calmed. But seeing Mikleo in that state, now also faced with Sorey's reaction to it, it was incredibly hard to cope with. She wasn't sure how Edna was managing to seem so calm, but then thought about all she had been through with Eizen. She knew how distraught people became and how to deal with those situations.

And so, wanting to give Sorey privacy, the two left the room silently. Upon hearing the door close quietly, Sorey finally rose his head, sliding his arm from underneath Mikleo. He ignored the pain he felt from its stiffness, brushing Mikleo's hair away from his face. It was hard to look at those beautiful features; they were still contorted in pain, the odd faint whimper escaping from his lips. Sorey cupped both of Mikleo's cheeks with his hand, resting their foreheads against each other.

“You'll be okay,” he murmured, more to himself in order to convince him that this was the case. “You have to be okay, right? You can't just...”

His words trailed off, a pain lodged in his throat from all of the tears he had released. They were gone now, dried up and leaving him feeling strangely empty. He didn't know how he'd cope with Mikleo's death. The only way he could imagine doing so was to take revenge.

From this thought, he straightened up, eyes lacking their usual brightness. Someone had dared to hurt Mikleo, _his_ Mikleo, for what? To torture them both? It was certainly doing so. All Sorey could imagine was taking his sword and plunging it straight through Maltran's chest, which was likely what Symonne wanted. He no longer cared. How could he remain pure when this was happening?

But then Lailah's pleas of him remaining calm flashed through his mind, and suddenly, he was torn and guilty. What should he do? He couldn't just let this slide, and yet he also couldn't betray who he was supposed to be. No, not supposed to be – _had_ always been. He had never killed in his work, never harmed more than necessary. They were changing him, and he knew deep down that he had to stop this change, but he wasn't sure if he could if they continued to play with him like this.

“I love you too much,” he whispered, head resting back on Mikleo's shoulder as a hand buried into his hair. “I can't let you go, not like this...”

Yet he feared that is what he would have to do when he listened to the slow pulse in Mikleo's neck, a sign that he was holding on by merely a thread.

However, he eventually realised that lying here like this wasn't going to solve any problems. Reluctantly, he sat up, hand gently stroking Mikleo's face. Perhaps it was his imagination from wishful thinking, but he could have sworn that from this loving touch, Mikleo's face seemed to relax slightly in his sleep. Conflicted between wanting to believe this was the case but also not wanting false hope, he was once again torn.

It was with further reluctance that after placing a lingering kiss filled with emotion onto Mikleo's forehead, Sorey slid off the bed. He knew that Lailah and Edna would be concerned over his foreign behaviour, and whilst he certainly couldn't assure them that he was all right, he could at least speak to them as opposed to ignore their words.

They were quietly speaking to each other on the sofa when Sorey walked into the lounge. As soon as she saw him, Lailah sprang to her feet, surprising Sorey by rushing over and wrapping her arms around him.

“Oh, Sorey,” she whispered as she pulled him into the embrace. “I'm so, so sorry...”

He couldn't find words to respond with, but was at least able to do so through the action of returning her hug. Her warmth was beautifully soothing, and even if he was still the most distressed he had ever been, he found that his body was relaxing a little. He even managed a small, sad smile when he felt Edna's arms wrap around the bottom of his torso from behind him, her head buried into his back. He released one of his arms from Lailah to rest his hand on Edna's head, stroking the hair softly.

“He's not dead,” Sorey said quietly, trying to bring light back to the situation. “There's no need to...”

But then his mind forced him to picture Mikleo's form, seeming as though it was dying, and he couldn't say anything else. He could now hear Edna quietly sobbing from behind him, the sound stinging his chest. As always, it was the hurt of others which made him get hold of himself. He smiled apologetically at Lailah as he pulled away from her, though she merely nodded in return. His arms now free, he was able to wrap them around Edna instead.

“I'm not crying,” she mumbled, her voice muffled from his body. Her shaking shoulders told a different story.

“It's okay to cry,” Sorey responded, rubbing her back in gentle, circular motions. “Really.”

The grip on him tightened slightly. “I just don't know how I'd react if he...” She inhaled sharply.

“I know. Me too.”

“I need to stop this,” she said decidedly, pulling herself away from Sorey and quickly wiping at her eyes. “I mean, if anyone should be crying, it's you. You're his soul-mate, after all.”

“I've done my fair share of crying already. But … soul-mate?”

“Of course, you were asleep when I explained this to Mikleo,” Lailah piped up. “But yes, you're soul-mates, so are connected by more than just a pact.”

“That explains a lot,” Sorey responded, heart suddenly feeling heavier. Lailah noticed this in his expression, immediately feeling guilty.

“I'm sorry, that is likely not what you want to hear right now...”

“No, it's okay. I'm glad I know.” He forced a smile at her. “Besides, if that's the case, it means he'll probably be too stubborn to die and leave me.”

Lailah let out a light laugh, the sound seeming to bring a new atmosphere to the room. “Yes, you're most certainly right.”

“He _has_ always been a stubborn thing,” Edna said, managing to smirk. Her eyebrows then furrowed, however, her mind wandering. “Zaveid doesn't know about this yet.”

“Both of you were close to Mikleo, weren't you?”

Edna nodded. “We helped Lailah with her training and taught him a lot. We always spent breaks together, so naturally, the two of us became great friends.” Her eyes glanced to the door. “I should go tell him, but...”

“We'll be fine without you,” Sorey said reassuringly. “I'm sure Zaveid would want you to tell him.”

Edna hesitated before she spoke. “Well, I suppose I could sneak onto a train to get there.” Her eyes shifted to Lailah. “Can you contact me if – I mean, _when_ he wakes up?”

“Of course I can,” Lailah smiled.

“Good.” She turned to Sorey one last time, sympathy evident in her eyes. “Keep holding on, Shepherd. He'll pull through.”

“I know he will.”

A smile flickered on her face before she walked over to the door and left silently. Sorey sighed once she had left, pulling out his phone to check for messages, to find that there was none.

“I'm really worried about Alisha and Rose, too,” he said to Lailah. “That was a tough ordeal.”

“I wouldn't worry too much,” Lailah answered. “Dezel has told be before about how much of a strong woman Alisha is, not to mention that Rose seemed to become more comfortable around us thanks to Mikleo's determination to help both you and Alisha. I'm certain that they'll be fine, even if it takes time to move on from Maltran's betrayal.”

Sorey's smile returned. “You're right, thank you.” Just in time with his thoughts and concerns, his phone screen lit up, showing that he was receiving a call from Rose. He answered immediately, placing the phone by his ear. “Hey Rose, how are you both doing?”

“ _All right, thank you. The angels healed Alisha really well, and even her infection is seeming to ease now.”_

“That's great to hear.”

“ _It definitely is. Dezel said it might have been their doing, and that either they no longer have the energy to maintain it, or they don't want to play with her in that way anymore._ _Though she is naturally very traumatised about Maltran.”_

Sorey's heart sank. “Yeah, I can imagine.”

“ _It's just… How much she was betrayed, you know? I mean, I don't even know how to feel.”_ There was a small sigh. _“But I think she's still coping okay –_ _I mean, they've not been quite as close over the last few years, probably when she first started getting tainted with malevolence. And Alisha's_ _very grateful for what Mikleo did for her. Me too, obviously. That's helping her a lot, and she really wants to meet him, even though I've explained to her about him.”_

“Hopefully they can meet one day.”

“ _Yeah, definitely.”_ There was a pause, as though she was thinking over her words. _“Sorey, I think I should really talk to you. Alisha too, actually.”_

“About what?”

“ _My past,”_ she answered, her voice now a little quieter. _“Why I've been so afraid of angels and everything.”_

“This – this seems like something huge for you,” Sorey commented, his eyes widening. “Are you sure?”

“ _I am. The thing is that I've seen some great things from Mikleo. First there was how protective he seemed over you whilst you were unconscious, as though he would not let anything harm you. Then there was today, where he… I just can't believe it. He hasn't even met Alisha, and yet he...”_ Her words trailed off, her voice sounding apologetic when she spoke again. _“I'm sorry, I don't think you want to be reminded of that.”_

“It's fine, I need to accept that it happened. When do you want to talk?”

“ _I know you have so much going on, but is it all right for us to both come around tomorrow morning, if you won't be in work? I told Sergei that you would be off all week, and I… I just think it really shouldn't be kept in the dark for longer. Things probably could have been prevented if I had said something sooner.”_

“Don't blame yourself! But yeah, you can. I really want you to get things off your chest.”

Her voice sounded a little more positive when she responded. _“Yeah, I do, too. We'll be there_ _about ten, okay?”_

“Okay, see you tomorrow.”

Lailah looked at him curiously as he put the phone away. “She's coming over tomorrow?” she questioned.

“Yeah, she wants to talk about her past with Alisha and I.”

“Are you sure this is all right with…”

“It is.” His voice shook slightly, but he was true with his words. “I don't want to sit around whilst I'm waiting for Mikleo to wake up, otherwise we'll never get through this.”

Lailah smiled over the reply. “You're very strong, Sorey.”

“I try to be.”

The fact that he was trying as opposed to being able to accept her calling him 'strong' was made clear when he had sat back down on his and Mikleo's bed, holding onto Mikleo's hand gently. His eyes weren't filled with tears, nor was there the lump in his throat which had been there previously – he was now faced with a confusing combination of feeling lost, yet also having a determination that Mikleo would pull through.

He would wake up, and then Sorey would give him the greatest gratitude he had ever given someone in his life. Because without Mikleo's sacrifice, Alisha would be dead, and many lives would have been affected by that death. It was the highest amount of courage Sorey had ever witnessed, and when he woke up, he needed to be reminded of just how incredible he really was.

But Sorey's mind was so conflicted, the malevolence he had been tempted by incredibly strong, that it was hard to remain positive consistently. It wasn't long until he was lying back down by Mikleo, stroking his hair gently. He would do anything to stop his breathing from being so shallow, for his face to relax from the pain he was facing.

He wasn't sure how long it had been before Lailah returned to the room, distressed eyes glistening as she looked at their two figures. It was heart-breaking to see that any strength Sorey built up would soon be shattered.

“Sorey?” she spoke out quietly. “You need to eat, at least...”

He nodded, sliding off the bed. His eyes at least showed no more signs of crying, though his expression still lacked how positive it usually was. He managed to smile when he found that Lailah had already made them both curry, sitting down and thanking her. But as he picked up his fork and started biting into the curry, the images of Mikleo being stabbed were flickering through his mind, twisting his stomach. His stool fell back on the floor, the noise startling Lailah, and he ran over to the bathroom, gagging over the toilet. Lailah was with him before long, brushing back his hair with the gentleness of a mother caring for a child, whispering soothing words into his ear.

After wiping his face with tissues and flushing the toilet, Sorey simply sat there for a moment, panting.

“I put on such a strong act when I saw that you were close to tears and Edna started crying,” he said quietly. “I even fooled myself. But Lailah, this is too much. I watched him almost be killed.”

“I know, Sorey,” she responded softly, pulling him into a hug from behind, willing for his trembling body to stop. She didn't mention or react to the slight malevolence she could feel from him, likely due to thoughts of revenge. She simply pulled him closer, brushing her lips lightly on the back of his head. Steadily, the malevolence seemed to ease, alongside the tension in his body.

“I'm sorry,” he ended up chuckling humourlessly. “One second I think I'm fine, the next, I'm not.”

“It's entirely understandable,” she answered. “After all, you're in distress. It's normal for your emotions to be confusing.”

Still, even with her reassuring and understanding words, Sorey still felt entirely hopeless.

He slept with Mikleo that night – or at least, he tried to. He was certain that he never actually slept. He only held Mikleo close to him, keeping his hold as gentle as possible, pain stabbing his chest every time he heard a noise be released from the pain Mikleo was suffering from.

 

* * *

 

 

It didn't take long for Alisha and Rose to turn up the next morning, Sorey once again reluctantly prising himself away from Mikleo to greet them into the apartment. Two mugs of tea were placed down on the coffee table by Lailah, Alisha jumping but thanking her nonetheless, Lailah smiling warmly at how she was speaking out to someone she couldn't see. The two wives rested down on the sofa, Sorey sat down on the armchair in front of them. Lailah stood, greeting Dezel, who nodded in return. He had been silent during the minutes he had been here.

“So,” Rose started, laughing awkwardly. She cast a glance between both Alisha and Sorey, letting out a small sigh. “I should have really told you both about me earlier. But… Well, I was too afraid. That, and I thought you probably wouldn't believe me.”

“Well, that's hardly the case now this has happened,” Alisha said, a small chuckle causing her to cough. Rose smiled sadly over it, resting a hand on Alisha's thigh.

“I guess that's true. I don't really remember a huge lot, but there's enough for it to seem impossible.” She paused, eyebrows furrowing in thought. “I'm trying to think of how to start…”

“It's all right, take your time,” Sorey said reassuringly.

Rose nodded. She took a couple of minutes to gather her thoughts and regulate her breathing, heart rate calming in the process. And then she began, a whole secret world being expressed aloud for the first time.

It had all began from when she was merely just a toddler.

She would be holding onto the hands of her parents when she would giggle, pointing over to a wing she could see in the distance, the man who it belonged to never able to escape her eye quickly enough. Even from this age, she had always been incredibly attentive.

“ _Look!”_ she would squeal. “I saw it! An angel!”

“We've already told you that those don't exist, Rose,” her father would say to her, his voice gentle but firm. “It's just your imagination.”

But no imagination could create such a corporeal figure. Sometimes, there were others, but it was mostly this man, with his hair covering his eyes; he would press a finger to his lips in a sign for her to keep quiet. She would often intimate the angel, giggling and putting a finger to her own. One day, when she was four-years-old, she had managed to sneak out of the house and throw her arms around the angel's torso who, during his time of sitting on a patch of grass, was startled out of his thoughts.

“I finally got you!” she exclaimed happily. “I knew you were real!”

The angel had been unsure of what to do, his arms pressed to the sides from this girl hugging him. He wasn't meant to get so close to a human, yet how was it possible to protect her _and_ also keep at a distance in the process?

“Uh, get off,” he eventually said awkwardly. Rose leaned back away from him, pouting as she settled onto her knees.

“You're not very nice.”

“Hey, don't start judging me when you've only just met me,” the angel muttered, folding his arms. Rose grinned cheekily, before she reached a hand towards his wings. He backed away, the sudden movement of the wings not startling Rose in the slightest. “Watch it!”

“Can I touch them?” Rose asked, pressing her hands together. “Pleeease?” she added. The angel hesitated, before he nodded slowly. She gingerly placed a hand on his left wing, letting out a delighted giggle. “They're so soft!”

“Well, they're not exactly going to feel like iron, are they?”

“Can you fly?”

“Of course I can.”

“Can you carry me and fly with me?!” she questioned further, excitement growing in her voice and expression, though she whined when the angel shook his head quickly. “ _Awh!_ Why not?”

“It's too dangerous, and – and you're not supposed to be speaking to me anyway.” He abruptly got to his feet, brushing grass off his trousers. “I should go.”

“That's sad,” Rose pouted, but a grin was soon on her face again. “But I have one more question!”

The man sighed, resting his forehead into his hand. “Make it quick.”

“Why are your clothes weird?”

He folded his arms again, head turning to the side. “Hey. I'll have you know that where _I_ come from, unique outfits are in fashion.”

“I didn't mean they're _bad!_ I like them!”

“Well, good for you. Get inside before your parents notice you're gone.”

“Okay...” Rose said reluctantly. She turned back around when she reached the back door of the house, looking hopeful. “Can we talk again soon? Can we play?”

“Get in the house!”

Rose pouted again, sticking her tongue out at him before she opened the door and slipped inside, leaving the man sighing, leaning against the wall of the house.

“You know that she's not supposed to speak to us,” a woman's voice said from near him. “Right, Dezel?”

“She spoke to _me!”_

“And you spoke straight back.”

“Well, I didn't know what else to do. You know this is my first time being a guardian angel, Lailah. Honestly, of a girl with _this_ high of a resonance, too...”

Lailah smiled despite his words. “Because we all know that you are perfectly capable of this role.”

“What about that little boy – Sorey, was it?”

“That's right.”

“Does he have a guardian angel, yet?”

“Yes, but in a different sense to Rose,” she replied. “I have been watching over him when I return to Ladylake with Michael, as well as when I'm in Heaven. Then, alongside myself, a few other angels are keeping an eye on him. You see, as we believe that he is more likely to become the Shepherd after Michael's duty is finished, we want to see what his resonance is like without being near him consistently.”

“Right, I get you.”

“Just _please_ be careful with Rose. We wouldn't want to have to alter her memories. Luckily, she's at a young age now, so it isn't likely that she will remember things from now perfectly clearly.”

“I will.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

Yet despite his words, he still ended up speaking to Rose once again, even if he knew he shouldn't have.

The girl seemed to have a knack for being able to sense he was near, and he couldn't bring himself to leave her whenever she did so. It never felt right to do as such. There was something different about Rose compared to other human children, and it wasn't just her resonance. She was playful, yet somehow also still mature for her age. Whenever one of her parents fell ill, she did everything she could to help look after them. It was clear that her heart was unbelievably pure, and as time went by, Dezel couldn't help but think that _she_ should be the one to be the Shepherd. After all, she didn't fear Dezel at all, not even when she was a little younger. She was merely curious and excited over how there were creatures like this existing among humans.

But what he hadn't expected was it for all to change a year later.

At five-years-old, Rose was now more confident than ever, never showing a hint of shyness. Her courage never lessened – in fact, it had also seemed to grow. She was turning out to be an amazing child already.

It was the pull of a trigger which changed everything.

She and her parents had been on holiday. It had been the best times of their lives, and Rose was happy that she often spotted Dezel out of the corner of her eye even whilst they were away. But then the dreaded day came, when all the happiness from her life would be drained instantly.

She and her parents had entered a jewellery shop in order for her mother to buy her sister a birthday present. Even whilst the stars were supposed to support Rose, even though she was supposed to be protected, the man who would later haunt her dreams appeared. What she wasn't able to see was the malevolence radiating from him, but what she _could_ see was his burning eyes, filled with a mixture of hatred and fear.

An arm had wrapped itself around Rose's neck as the man had crouched next to her, paralysing fear assaulting her body as she felt the barrel of a gun press itself against her temple, knowing full well what it was from programmes her parents had seen. She let out a cry, trying to pull herself away, but of course, the grip of the man was much too tight for a small child to fight against.

“Get all your cash and most expensive items!” the man bellowed, the sound piercing Rose's ears. “Do it, or I'm shooting this kid! Don't test me!”

“Let go of her!” her mother had screamed, but her step forward halted as soon as the man pressed the gun harder against Rose's head.

“The money! Give it to me _now!”_

The terrified cashier nodded, beginning to scrape notes out of the till into a bag, letting out a whimper once the gun was now pointed at her.

“Don't keep me waiting!”

A thought then ran wild in Rose's mind – where was Dezel? Why wasn't he here? He was always there, giving her a feeling as though she will always be protected… So why wasn't he here when she needed that protection?

Somehow, she began to feel angry. Angry that these kind of people existed in the world, that the woman scraping money into the bag was close to passing out from fear, that her mother was screaming and sobbing, her husband taking her into his arms.

It was this anger which caused her to act spontaneously. She bit down roughly onto the arm which was wrapped around her neck, the man yelping and letting go out of instinct, stumbling to the side, just barely staying in his crouched position. Rose had leaped at him in an instant, small hands trying to reach for the gun, which was pointed away from her.

“Get off, you brat!” he shouted, pushing her away forcefully. She fell to the floor with a cry, eyes widened in terror staring at the gun which was pointing back at her. It was her mother's scream and footsteps running forward, pulling out of her husband's hold on her, which is what caused the gun to turn again. Only this time, it wasn't merely a threat. Rose's ears rang as a bullet shot out of it, her head immediately turning, letting out a scream as she watched her mother's body fall to the floor.

She couldn't say any words, nor could she scream again; both she and the man watched as her father turned his wife over gently, murmuring quiet words, his whole body trembling violently as his eyes saw the bullet wound in her head, the cause of an instant death.

“I – I d-didn't mean –” the murderer was stuttering. His voice brought Rose back, and her crying eyes grew blind with rage.

She threw herself at him again, head bashing into his abdomen, causing him to gasp. His grip on the gun grew loose, and with all of her strength, Rose managed to pull it out of his hand. She didn't know what she was going to do; her mind was completely blank.

But her fear returned as the man snarled at her, creeping towards her slowly.

“Give me that,” he said, holding out a hand. “Give me that, and no one else gets hurt.”

Rose shook her head furiously, tears pouring down her face.

“ _Give me it!”_ the man then yelled, lunging towards her. A cry escaped her lips, her eyes squeezing tightly shut, a small finger pressing down onto the trigger. She cried out in fear again after she did so, staring at the man with frightened eyes. The bullet had shot straight threw his chest, and it felt like time was running in slow motion as he fell back onto the floor.

Rose was now screaming. Screaming over the actions she had caused, from witnessing the death from her mother, over how Dezel wasn't here. Now the gun had fallen to the floor, the witnesses were now by her, whispering that it was okay, she had done nothing wrong, she was only protecting herself –

“Rose, can you hear me?” came the crying voice of her father. “Come here, it's all right...”

But her ears were no longer picking up any of the voices around her. She was now staring at a figure in the doorway of the door, his wings limp and his body stumbling. A hand was held over his eyes, blood seeping through his fingers at an alarming rate.

“Why?” Rose whispered. “Why weren't you here? Why are you...”

“Who is she speaking to?”

“Honey, it's all right, they're on their way.”

Again, she didn't listen to their voices. She watched as Dezel left the shop once again, now feeling entirely abandoned despite how her father was right there, sobbing by her side.

 

* * *

 

 

Countless times did she sit in the room of a counsellor, sitting down on a seat as eyes burned into her. In reality, they were kind and welcoming, but in her state of pushing people away from her, Rose didn't seem them as such.

“How are you today, Rose?”

She merely shrugged.

“Are your new family treating you nicely?”

She nodded. It wasn't a lie. Those who had adopted her _were_ really lovely, especially her adoptive father, Mayvin. It was a nice contrast to the treatment she received before her move. Her classmates had been speaking in hushed whispers behind her back, about how she had murdered someone. Rumours began to start, saying that she had done so in cold blood and was planning on who to kill next. They were horrifying accusations from such young children. But Rose had mostly ignored them. After all, she had lost both her parents, and that was enough on its own to stop her caring for anything else.

Her father had committed suicide not long after the funeral of her mother. He couldn't bear the loss, especially with how it was almost like he had lost a daughter, too. She had lost the shine in her eyes. Even if it hadn't been her fault, she was plagued by guilt over the blood she had spilled. Maturing far too quickly, losing her childhood – it only added to her father's distress. She had awoken one morning to find him in the bathroom, surrounded by pills. She didn't understand that people could die from overdoses, but after seeing the deceased form of her mother, she definitely knew what death looked like.

Having been taught how to do so, she had called an ambulance for him, knowing inside that it was useless. She was picked up by social services shortly after. She was to be fostered and moved to a new school for a fresh start. Even with her change of attitude, the kindness she had been blessed with all of her life made the foster family fall in love with her and wish to adopt her.

So yes, they were treating her nicely. Yet she was still far, far too depressed, most especially for a child only nearing six.

Dezel, despite being requested to keep his distance from Rose, visited her the night of her sixth birthday. He was perched on her windowsill, heavy wind blowing strands of hair out of his eyes. They were now sightless.

“I'm sorry I didn't face you sooner."

“Why didn't you help me?” Rose questioned, the quietness of her own voice tantamount to Dezel's. “Mummy and daddy are both dead. And you didn't help to stop it.”

“I tried, Rose. I swear I did.” He sub-consciously ended up hovering a hand over his eyes. “But… But I couldn't make it in time.”

Rose suddenly burst into tears, hands covering her face as her shoulders shook. “That's why they died!” she shouted. “Because you didn't help me!”

“Rose, please –”

“Rose? Are you okay, sweetheart?”

Her head shot up as her adoptive mother walked in, looking concerned.

“I'm okay,” Rose said quietly, quickly rubbing at her eyes.

“Who were you shouting at?” the woman asked, walking over and pulling Rose into her arms, a hand stroking her head.

Rose opened her mouth, but she hesitated. She had been told that she needed to learn to control her imagination and not see what they called 'illusions'. She knew they'd think she was mad otherwise, just like her classmates had thought the same.

She hesitated in her meeting with her counsellor, too, when asked a question with the same context.

“Have you still been seeing things, Rose?”

After her hesitation, she shook her head, which the counsellor sighed in relief from. It was this relieved reaction that made Rose know that life sometimes required lies. Constantly living in truth didn't work, because the truth was that she still saw them, watching over her, the sightless eyes seeming like they could still see her – but in order to be accepted, she had to lie.

She was seven-years-old when she had been visited by a beautiful angel with long, flowing hair. Even with her growing dislike for angels, she somehow felt soothed by those gorgeous eyes, which were gentle and looked at her with sympathy. Surrounded by the forestry which stood right by Rose's home, she felt as though she was in another world, free of the harshness she had lived with for so long.

“Who are you?” Rose asked quietly.

“My name is Lailah,” was the response, following by a bow of her head. “You have been through terrible ordeals, and I apologise for all you have been through.”

“Can you help me? Can you bring them back?”

“I'm afraid not.”

“B-But then, why aren't they angels who can see me, too?” Rose questioned, her voice rising as tears welled in her eyes. “If you and that man can speak to me, why can't they?”

Lailah looked as though she was struggling to answer. “I – I cannot say.”

“I just want them back!” Rose was shouting by now, her hands clenched into fists. “I hate all of you! You didn't help me! You didn't...”

“Rose, please, calm down.” Lailah crouched down in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “There _is_ a way I can help you.”

“What is it?” Rose sniffled.

“I can alter your memories, so that you forget about what happened to your parents.”

A silence fell as Rose thought over Lailah's words. “You can do that?”

“Yes. I usually avoid such things, but –”

“ _You can't, Lailah!”_

Lailah and Rose's heads turned abruptly at the sound of Dezel shouting from a distance, walking briskly over to them.

“Dezel, she –”

“It's not right to suppress memories to deal with pain,” he interrupted. “You know that as well as I do.”

“But at this rate...”

“It's not right to alter memories. Would you do it to Sorey?”

“If necessary,” she retorted in a firm voice. “In fact, it has been brought up that we might just have to do so to him and Mikleo.”

Dezel hesitated. “I still don't think –”

“I would not remove her memories completely. I would simply lessen them – then, as time goes on, they will return naturally to her. It will be done so in a way that is like she had always known, so she is not hit with the pain of sudden memories returning to her.” Lailah turned to her, smiling sadly. “I also don't think it is right that she has seen so much of us. She is growing to fear us.”

“I – I guess I can agree with that.”

“Is this all right then, Rose?” Lailah asked her gently. “I will not do this without permission.”

“I don't know,” Rose whispered. “I'm scared.”

“It's all right to be scared. You have been so very brave and I am proud of you.”

It was those words which caused Rose to nod, agreeing to having her memories altered. Lailah told her to close her eyes and lie down on the grass, her body perfectly still. When Rose obeyed, Lailah hovered her hand over Rose's forehead, closing her eyes as she recited the Ancient Tongue of angels, the words managing to soothe Rose. A calm, warm feeling spread over her before her head fell to the side, breathing deeply.

“I promise that she has not lost her memories completely, and that she still remembers her parents,” Lailah told Dezel as she rose back to her feet. “This is merely to help her cope with her current pain.”

“I understand,” Dezel answered quietly. “Thank you for your help.”

“It's my pleasure.” Lailah then sighed, suddenly looking stressed. “I should return to Michael.”

“Is he still not able to cope with malevolence well?”

“Unfortunately so. I'm worried about it taking him over. He is still abusive to poor Muse and Mikleo – they wouldn't know, of course, but it's the malevolence that is causing it. I'm worried about how this will play out.”

Dezel was hesitant to say his following words, but he knew they must be told. “If it gets out of control, remember that we have to kill him.”

“I know, Dezel,” Lailah sighed. “I'm just sincerely hoping that it doesn't come to such things.”

“We'll take it when it comes.” Dezel lifted Rose's sleeping body into his arms. “She'll get sick staying out here. I'll take her home.”

“I'll be seeing you soon, then.”

The two parted ways, Dezel flying through Rose's open window and settling her down onto the bed. Even if his eyes were blind, he could still see her face mentally. He let out a sigh, lingering on the windowsill for a moment before he jumped outside. He hoped deeply that Lailah's power had done the trick, would give her the happiness they had been longing for.

It had done so, in a way. But not completely.

In her early teenage years, she was beginning to feel spite and fear against the angels she had previously forgotten. Even now, the question 'why' repeated itself over and over again in her mind. Why couldn't they have saved her mother? Why couldn't they stop her father from taking his life? Why could she not at least see them as angels, if they could wander to Earth so freely?

She despised it. She despised that her hands had been stained with blood at such a young age. Even if she knew, deep down, that it hadn't been her fault, she still felt tainted. And so, when she could sense the presence of an angel, or see one of their wings, she would force her mind to push it away. Fear and hatred overtook any rational thoughts, the old memories of her happy self fading. She began to forget Lailah's kind eyes, no longer wanted to remember what Dezel's voice sounded like.

With this denial of resonance came a happiness which started fake, but soon grew real. Her smile was true when she met the girl she would grow to love, her turquoise eyes and sandy-blonde hair the most beautiful she had ever seen.

This girl did not know of Rose's past, for it had been kept hidden away. Yet she knew how desperately Rose wanted to become a lawyer, even if she did not know its origins, which had caused Rose to want to achieve justice. This girl supported her, made her believe that she could do anything. In time, Rose began to feel as such, too. The name 'Alisha' was now able to remove any negative thoughts every time she heard it.

She was so desperately in love with this girl that whilst she felt sadness over her falling for Sorey, she supported her well and truly. _'They look great together,'_ she would tell herself, when they would laugh at each other's words and kiss each other tenderly. As long as Alisha was happy, then Rose had a reason to be happy, too.

But then the miscarriage occurred, which caused a usually strong Alisha to cry in Rose's arms, sobbing about the loss of her child. Eventually, this sobbing ceased, even when her and Sorey had ended their relationship. She was moving on. A part of Rose wanted to take advantage of this, to finally be with who she loved. But her usually intrusive self stayed away, wanting what was best for her.

It turned out Alisha knew what was best for her. Before long, the two were a couple, and their chemistry was incredible. The two fell deeper in love, a love that Rose had needed for a long time. Upon receiving this, she came to realise that the one-sided feelings she had for Alisha were never enough. She needed to be loved back just as strongly, with just as much intensity – she received that, and was finally becoming truly happy. It was the gold rings which were soon to be worn on their fingers that truly sealed this joy.

Her life had now taken her back to her ability to see angels, to hear them just as clearly as she had once done so long ago. Years ago, this would have destroyed her. Now, driven by the determination to do what's right, to clean her conscience of her sins, she was beginning to gain strength.

Hardships led her to love, and from love came her power. She had to now use it to do what she had once failed to do for her parents, and that was to protect what was important, no matter the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hand if you thought the chapter title was about Mikleo... (I'm sneaky. Oh so very sneaky)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If it's possible to whilst hating me and wailing on the floor.


	19. Passing Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even with positive events happening alongside Mikleo's unconsciousness, it was hard for Sorey to remain positive himself as time continues to go by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I'm really happy about the lovely feedback I got last week. I'm happy that I captured the emotion well!
> 
> Here's a slightly shorter chapter than the usual, which was definitely a relief compared to the usual length. I hope you enjoy it!

Rose told the others an outline of this story in a continuous expressionless voice, as though she wasn't thinking about the harshness of what she was saying. She could not remember everything, but she left out nothing of what she _did_ remember. She spilled out every secret about herself, and as her story went on, she found herself feeling more and more that a weight was being lifted off aching shoulders. It was as though she was breaking chains keeping her down.

They listened to her silently, never wanting to interrupt no matter how emotional the story became, and she was grateful for that. It was much easier to speak when she wasn't receiving verbal reactions or being given sympathy and was simply left to continue. Not to mention that she didn't even want sympathy, anyway. She was telling this story because she felt as though it was the best thing for her to do and is what would benefit them all, not to receive pity in return.

A silence fell after she had finished her story, no one unsure of what exactly to say. It was Alisha who broke it first, pulling her wife into her arms, tears pouring down her face.

“Oh, Rose,” she whispered, increasing the tightness of her hold. “I-I would have never known you had been through so much.”

“It's fine, really,” Rose responded, returning the embrace. “I'm happy now, right? That's the most important thing. No use dwelling on the past.”

“That's a brave mindset to have,” Sorey spoke up. “ _Very_ brave, Rose. You're inspiring.”

But she shook her head. “I'm not saying this to make you guys feel sorry for me. But I don't think I'm inspiring. I've pushed away who I am, not listen when people try to...” Her words trailed off as she looked at Dezel, sounding guilty. “I've not listened to them when they try to tell me what happened to them. I've got a lot of regrets over my behaviour.”

“Your behaviour was entirely understandable,” Lailah said reassuringly. “Please don't feel too guilty over it.”

Rose nodded, before tilting her head slightly in curiosity. “Are… Are you the angel I met that night?”

“Yes, I am. I'm surprised you remember.”

“It's only faintly. I only really remember your eyes properly.” She smiled with amusement at Alisha glancing between the two of them, looking disappointed that she couldn't hear anything. “Is there any way to get Alisha to hear you?”

Lailah hummed in thought. “We could try. Sorey, can you take hold of Alisha's hand?”

“Um, sure,” Sorey responded, wondering where this was going. As he took hold of it, Lailah stepped forward, calling out softly.

“Hello, Alisha? Can you hear me?”

Sorey looked at her, but only received a shake of her head in return.

“Um… Sorey, close your eyes.” He did so, Lailah calling out a little louder this time. “What about now?”

Again, she shook her head after there had been a few moments of silence.

“Well… One last try. Can you hold your breath whilst you close your eyes, Sorey?”

“Do I _really_ have to do that?” Lailah pouted at him. “All right, all right!”

He took a deep breath, holding onto his nose whilst his eyes squeezed shut.

“Alisha?”

“I hear it! A woman's voice!” Alisha cried out happily. “Is that you, Lady Lailah?”

“'Lady?'” Lailah giggled. “I can assure you that just Alisha is fine. Dezel, why don't you try?”

“Uh … hi.”

Alisha's eyes glistened with tears. “I can hear you both. This is incredible. Thank you for healing me, both of you. I wish I could thank the other angel, as well… Edna, was it?”

“I'll be sure to pass on the message,” Lailah smiled.

“Do you –”

She was interrupted by Sorey gasping for air, letting go of Alisha's hand to place a hand on his chest.

“There has got to be a better way!” he exclaimed after inhaling a large gulp of air.

“I'm sure that within time, we will not have to do this to your senses,” Lailah said. Though Alisha was suddenly rising to her feet, Rose's eyes widening as she did so.

“Babe?”

“I want to become a Squire,” she announced.

“Wait, Alisha –”

“Rose told me about it as she's been considering it herself. I want to make the pact as well.”

“Alisha, you've only just found out that angels exist!” Sorey exclaimed, still taken aback a little by surprise. “How can you make a decision like this so quickly?”

“Haven't you always known that I've been a believer of the supernatural?” Alisha questioned. “Though even without that, I am sure that I would want to do this for you. I've known that something has been going on for you for months now, and all this time, I've wanted to help you. Now I know how I can do that, I am determined to go through with it.” She held a hand out to Sorey. “Please. As both your partner and close friend, let me stand by you.”

Sorey glanced between her hand and Lailah, seeking guidance as to what to say.

“Sorey, do it again.”

“ _Seriously?”_ he said, but sighed and stood up to take Alisha's hand, holding his breath once again.

“Alisha, the Squire pact will be a large burden on you,” Lailah said quickly. “However, it will help ease the troubles that Sorey faces and could potentially help stop those who had taken you. I am all for this pact, though I do not want to make it today. I would much rather wait until you have recovered so this has less of an impact on your body, not to mention that it would be better for you to get used to my presence first.”

“I understand,” Alisha nodded, her hand being released as Sorey gasped for air again. “Sorey, are you fine with me doing this now Lailah has said that?”

“I don't want you to be in danger,” he started after inhaling and exhaling deeply. “But I can see that you're in it even without being my Squire. Plus, I've held someone back before, and I realised how wrong that was.”

“So you'll let me?” Alisha questioned hopefully, breaking out into a smile when Sorey nodded.

“But hey, what about me?” Rose asked, getting up herself and punching Sorey on the arm. “If my wife's doing this, then I'm doing it, too.”

“You will?” Dezel questioned, sounding surprised. “Even after everything?”

“I'm learning to move on, even if I'm still scared,” she responded. “I've learnt a lot from that Mikleo guy. It's about time I thought about other people like he does.”

“Then, Sorey,” Lailah said, stepping towards Rose with a smile. “You will have to give her a True Name after my incantation.”

“A what?” Rose questioned, looking confused.

“It is needed for the pact – don't worry, your actual name won't change!” Lailah reassured her with, letting out a giggle when she saw the panic on her face. “For example, _my_ True Name is Fethmus Mioma, but I am still called Lailah.”

“Oh… I see it, now.”

“Then, both of you, take each of my hands.” They did so, Lailah closing her eyes as a golden light formed around her, before she began to recite the incantation. “A new bud forms on the holy branch. Its flower brings fruit. Its fruit begets seeds.” A circle formed around Rose, descending down her body. “The circle of destiny turns once more. Give life unto the will of the Shepherd, and let it be proof of their bond. Thy True Name of a squire shall be:”

“Uh…” He paused for a moment, grinning sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck with his spare hand.”Wilkis Wilk?”

The light around them burst, a bond weighing down on their chests, connecting them together.

“A-All right, then,” Lailah said, smiling and obviously trying to hold back laughter. Alisha couldn't do this herself, breaking out into giggles.

“What's this about? 'Wilkis Wilk'?”

Rose huffed, folding her arms.

“Giving me a True Name. A terrible one, at that.”

“H-Hey, my mind's a bit crazy at the moment! It's not my fault!”

Rose chuckled softly, holding her hand out to Sorey. “Well, Shepherd, happy to be of service to you.”

Sorey smiled – it was likely the most genuine smile he'd had since the incident a day prior. “And it's good to have you on board.”

“I'm looking forward to how much Mikleo is going to tease you when he finds out about the name you gave to Rose,” Lailah smiled sweetly, despite how much she was teasing him herself. He let out a groan, folding his arms.

“Please don't tell him.”

“I can assure you that I will.”

“Mikleo...” Rose said, biting her lip. “Is he all right?”

Sorey hesitated, before shaking his head. “N-No, we're hoping he will be, but… He's in really bad shape. They – they couldn't even heal him properly, because of what had caused his injuries.”

“Even though there were three of them healing him?” Alisha asked quietly, received a nod in return. Suddenly, she was wrapping her arms around Sorey to bring him closer. “I feel so awful,” she whispered. “He's only injured like this because he saved me.”

“Don't feel like that, Alisha,” Rose said. “It's not as though you _made_ him rescue you.”

“Still… And to think he's been working with you like this to rid Ladylake of malevolence, even though he lost his memories not long ago. Rose told me about that.” There was a pause as Alisha stepped back, bowing her head. “The reason I became a police officer was because I wanted to restore Ladylake back to how it used to be. To know that all of you helped with that...”

Sorey nodded, eyes still upset. “I'm sorry I could never tell you.”

“N-No, it's all right, I understand.”

“Alisha's words are making me realise something,” Lailah suddenly spoke up. “With Mikleo being unconscious, I'm worried that even with my blessing over Ladylake as its guardian angel, without Mikleo's entity keeping the water here pure, malevolence could end up spreading. After all, people don't believe as they used to. It is _very_ easy for a guardian angel's protection to be beaten, especially by a demon...”

“The water?” Rose questioned.

“All guardian angels maintain an element, and as you can guess, Mikleo is water,” she explained. “But I'm afraid that water in particular is delicate and easily corrupted by malevolence. We don't know if Mikleo,” her voice paused, trying to think of what to say without emphasising Mikleo's dire situation, “w-will wake up soon. So I think it is best I find a water guardian elsewhere. I'll contact Edna for help – perhaps she could speak to Sindra for me, the guardian angel of Lastonbell. It's just a little difficult finding angels at the moment, what with how scattered we are and the breach of communication with Heaven...”

“Do you think they could take over for you when I move to Lastonbell?”

“Oh, that is a thought,” she responded. “But yes, I should hope so.”

“Before you do that,” Dezel spoke up, startling Lailah slightly from how he had been silent during the process of the Squire pact, lost in thought. “Can you make me your Sub Lord?”

“W-What?” Sorey asked, his eyes widening. “You want to?”

“Didn't I say that I would join you if Rose accepted us?”

“Yeah, I just...”

“I'm doing this for her, though,” he stated simply. “That's all.”

Sorey smiled. “That's fine with me. Lailah, can you make the pact?”

“Of course.”

“Sorey?” Alisha asked as Lailah took Dezel's hand into her own, Sorey turning around to her. “Can you hold my hand again?”

“ _Not_ hold my breath again, surely?”

“N-No, I just… Want to see if I'm able to witness any of this.”

Sorey nodded. As much as he wanted to see the beauty of a Sub Lord pact once again, he allowed his eyes to close to try and assist with her wishes.

“Do you see anything?” Rose asked.

“I'm not sure… Perhaps light? And – and I can definitely sense their presences more now.”

“You must be getting used to them being around you already,” Sorey commented, Alisha nodding in return, despite how Sorey couldn't see that. He opened his eyes once again, however, when he could feel the familiar bond in his chest. Lailah was turning around to them now, smiling.

“Could Alisha sense anything?” she asked.

“A little,” Sorey answered, causing Lailah to smile.

“It must be because of how much she has been exposed to the supernatural as of late. Give her a little more time and her resonance may grow, even before she makes a pact.” She glanced at the door apologetically. “I should get going for now. Will you be all right without me?”

“Of course. Contact Dezel if you need to tell me something, okay?”

Lailah nodded, before she left, leaving the rest in a silence, which Dezel broke.

“Rose,” he said quietly. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”

“All right.” She turned, smiling at Alisha. “Dezel wants to speak to me. I'll be right back.”

Alisha nodded, her and Sorey settling down onto the sofa, watching as Dezel guided Rose over to the kitchen. He leaned on a kitchen counter with his hands resting behind him, face cast on the floor.

“Is everything okay?” Rose questioned.

“I just want to apologise for what happened in your past,” he answered, voice still rather quiet. “I know I've been defensive about it, but really, I still feel like I should've done more.”

“No, don't apologise – I saw how you were...” Rose's words drifted off, teeth biting down onto her lip. “Dezel, what exactly happened to you?”

He paused, seeming rather tense for a moment, but his body soon relaxed as he breathed out deeply. “A demon and angel,” he answered. “The ones which attacked us yesterday. They ambushed me as I was on the way to the place where your mother was killed. I couldn't defend myself properly considering they got me from behind. They mostly just wanted to stall me, with the likely aim of erasing your chances of becoming the Shepherd by you becoming traumatised, or to allow you to be tainted later on if you ever _did_ become the Shepherd. But then Lunarre shouted something along the lines of how I should use my eyes to actually watch over you properly, and then he...” He fell silent, a hand hovering over his eyes. Rose's own eyes were widened in horror, pity and guilt alike stabbing at her chest.

“He blinded you,” she finished for him, heart sinking when he nodded in return.

“It's fine, though. Wind angels are probably the worst they can blind, considering we can read the wind anyway.” He paused, turning his head to her. “But it's not the wind which tells me how you look now. I – I can picture it perfectly. I've been with you for many years, after all.”

Apparently embarrassed over his words, Dezel stood up straight and began to leave the kitchen, but stopped when Rose placed a hand on his arm.

“Thank you for telling me,” she said quietly. “And I'm sorry for not letting you do so earlier.”

The largest smile she had ever seen on him appeared on his face. “At least you've let me now.”

His words were genuine, for ever since the turn in Rose's life, he had wanted to be able to speak to her properly. Even if he wasn't the kind of person to thank them directly, he felt gratitude towards everyone who had helped achieve this day. Lailah for easing the trauma in her childhood, Sorey for supporting her and not pushing her into anything, Mikleo for showcasing bravery which inspired her…

He felt disappointed in himself for not being the one to do this, but that wouldn't stop the joy he felt over finally having the old Rose steadily return to him.

 

* * *

 

 

If it was not for the fact that he was receiving support from so many people – including Zaveid for one day, and Edna staying for longer – Sorey would have likely become even more unstable than he already was.

There were positives in their current situation; Rose was now a Squire, and Alisha was beginning to sense the angels further, Lailah stating that she just wanted to wait a little longer so Alisha's body wasn't put in danger. Lailah had managed to find a water guardian with Edna's assistance, even if both had to purify him from malevolence which had corrupted him, a reminder of the fragility of water. Dezel was now a Sub Lord, meaning that they did, in fact, now have all elements. But it was hard to focus on this opportunity and that they had achieved one of their goals when Mikleo had still not awakened.

Days and days passed with no sign of him doing this. And as each day went by, Sorey could feel his panic rising further. What if Mikleo _never_ woke up? Would their kiss outside of Maltran's home really be their last?

The thought brought a mixture of both anguish and anger to Sorey. Lailah had to plead with him many times to stay calm, worried that she would once again feel malevolence radiating from him. The rest weren't completely sure on how to comfort Sorey, especially when he sat or lay on the bed by Mikleo, feeling desperate to do something yet having nothing he could actually do.

Then the words he had been dreading to hear finally came, Lailah knowing that she had no right to hide anything from Sorey.

“I'm afraid that with how long its been now, there's no doubt that even if he does wake up, he would likely be faced with permanent damage from this.”

It was wrong. So entirely wrong that this high possibility would be the only reward Mikleo gets in return for his efforts to keep on fighting, despite everything that happened. Was this really what someone deserved for rescuing someone? And Sorey knew just how much Mikleo wanted to protect him, yet who could be certain of how much Mikleo could continue to do that?

 _'He'd keep trying, too,”_ Sorey had thought to himself. _“Because that's how protective he is. He wouldn't care if he was damaging a fragile body, not if it meant protecting me.'_

The attitude was admirable, in a sense. But it was also terrifying.

“What about his lifespan?”

“… Whilst I can still imagine it being longer than a human's, that too would likely be affected.”

It was far, far too much, and Sorey could feel himself breaking further with each passing day. Lailah continued to watch him with sympathy, remembering how Sorey even dealt with the death of his parents better. At least then, it was an accident. Now he was being tortured mentally by Mikleo being so physically.

It didn't help that the one who had caused this was someone Sorey had known for the last few years. He saw how the woman was protective of Alisha – or at least, that's how she was meant to be. How could a mother do this to her own child? He knew that malevolence was the cause, and perhaps he shouldn't have blamed Maltran completely, as he didn't know whether she had been tainted unwilling or chose to give in to it. But this woman had kidnapped his partner in crime and close friend, almost murdered the one he held a love for more than anyone; he could not bring himself to think over anything which would justify Maltran.

It didn't help that even though Alisha was pulling through in a much stronger way than others would in her situation, she was still clearly badly effected by it. Whilst her work on their patrols together was still as polished as ever, she still seemed to get lost in thought on their breaks, eyes expressing that she was hurt.

“I don't know if I'll ever be able to move on from this fully,” she admitted to him when he questioned her about this. “I mean, she's been my adoptive mother since I was seven. I cannot believe that someone who I've loved for so long would betray me like this.”

“I know, it is unforgivable,” Sorey responded quietly. “I can't imagine how it must feel, or at least to that extent.”

“It – it is probably one of the hardest things I have dealt with. I haven't felt pain like this since our miscarriage.” Sorey sat up slightly, for it had been a long time since she had mentioned this. “Honestly, if I didn't have such wonderful people looking out for me, I don't think I'd be able to cope. I would have broken if I didn't have that.”

“You're definitely far from broken. Honestly, I don't know how you can keep smiling so much during this time.”

“It was always you who taught me to keep on smiling,” she said, now giving him one of those gorgeous smiles. “You have always done that, no matter what. Rose too, actually… Both of you are such beautiful people, and it is that which allows me to stay strong right now.”

Not long after those words, she had pulled him into her arms, smiling with her chin resting on his shoulder.

“And you'll be able to remain strong, too. Because Mikleo is a fighter, and he'll be fighting to stay right by your side.”

Sorey hoped so. He hoped so more than anything. All that mattered to him now was that Mikleo would wake up, for Sorey to see a smile again, as opposed to a face contorting with pain and fear in his sleep. He knew that he would break if a realisation of Mikleo not ever waking up came to him.

“If you can hear me, Mikleo,” Sorey had whispered one night to him, as he had often done, “just know that I love you, okay? And I will, no matter...” His words had then trailed off, Sorey inhaling deeply and closing his eyes, pressing his lips lightly against Mikleo's, wondering if they'd ever be kissed back, if Mikleo would ever wake from this coma.

Two weeks. Two torturous, harsh weeks which left him wishing for nothing more than to simply see Mikleo's eyes again. The amethysts he had fallen in love with, unsure of why they had seemed so familiar when they had met just barely under four months prior, yet understanding now.

And now; that was the time when his mind slowly eased back more memories of his childhood with Mikleo. Fragments of how they would play together, Mikleo's confidence slowly but surely growing now he had a cheerful best friend by their side. They would fall asleep on the sofa together as they watched television, foreheads kissed by Muse before she would throw a blanket over them. Yet when they were _supposed_ to be sleeping, they would stargaze out of the window, sometimes choosing to sneak out into the back garden and lie on the grass. They would talk about the adventures they would have together once they were older, travelling the world side by side.

“ _There's so many cities out there with big stories.”_

“ _Yup! Ruins, too!”_

“ _Exploring ruins might be dangerous.”_

“ _Don't worry, I'll always protect you.”_

“ _Same with you.”_

“ _And hey, we could get married?”_

“ _M-Married?! Idiot, we're only_ seven...”

“ _Still… You'd make a really pretty bride.”_

“ _I'm not a girl!”_

“ _Boys can be brides too, can't they?_ _”_

“… _Ugh.”_

“ _We'll stay together forever, anyway.”_

“ _Yeah, we will.”_

They were such joyful memories, yet they brought him sadness. They were returning at a time when he couldn't discuss them with Mikleo, at a time where he couldn't spend more time with him now.

Continuing going to work was torture, for he spent all of his time there thinking about Mikleo. His thoughts drifted back to how distracted his mind had been when Mikleo had been attacked by hellions months ago. At least back then, he was sure that Mikleo wouldn't die. But this was much, much worse, the knife which had injured him interfering with the process of his healing. The worry he felt back then seemed like nothing compared to how he felt now, feeling malevolence try to rise up inside him, yet being pushed away in desperation.

It was hard to smile even when the day of Alisha becoming a Squire arrived, after she had finally recovered fully from illness, her old radiance shining once again. She had slowly been able to sense the angels more, Sorey merely just having to hold her hand in order for her to hear them. For a woman who wasn't born with resonance, this was truly incredible. And so, they all knew that now was a better time than any for her to join him.

Lailah took both her and Sorey's hands into her own, and just as she did so with Rose, recited the words of the Squire Pact. It was with a managed smile that Sorey gave her the name 'Melphis Amekia'.

“'The Smiling Alisha',” he had said quietly, for it was truly this woman's smile which had helped not just Rose, but him as well. He had chuckled in amusement when Rose whined about how Alisha's name was ten times better than hers, but this whine was soon interrupted by Alisha's gasp, hands being held to her mouth as she stared at the angels in awe.

“It's nice to finally meet you, Alisha,” Lailah said, bowing her head.

“Likewise with you,” Alisha smiled happily, tears forming in her eyes as she looked between her, Dezel and Edna, not being able to stop a couple from falling. “Finally… After all of my years of believing in you, I can finally see you!”

“Wait until you see Zaveid,” Edna piped up, a smirk tugging at her lips. “You won't be smiling then.”

She laughed softly, before it faded, her eyes growing sadder. “May I see Mikleo?” she asked Sorey quietly. “I – I've been wanting more than just a description. I want to see the face of who saved me two weeks ago.”

Sorey nodded, the others remaining behind as Sorey led her to his bedroom, watching as Alisha held a hand over her mouth over seeing Mikleo. Even with a slender body to start with, Mikleo had grown unhealthily skinny, Sorey's nightwear hanging even looser than previously. For precaution, there were still bandages on his deeper wounds just in case they started bleeding again, though it was more of the appearance of a white face and darkened skin around his eyes which caused Alisha to be filled with pity.

“It's me, Mikleo,” she ended up saying softly as she walked over to the bed. “I don't know if you can hear me, but – but I'm incredibly grateful for what you did for me.” A tear trickled down her face, though she wiped it quickly, not wanting Sorey to see it. “Hopefully I can meet you soon and thank you properly.”

She turned, seeing how pained Sorey was by her words. She brought him into a hug, and much like Lailah had done for him, whispered soothing words to him.

“Don't give up hope, Sorey,” she told him. “ _Never_ give up hope. You have to promise me.”

Sorey nodded, feeling strangely weak. “I promise.”

 

* * *

 

 

_Darkness. He seemed to shift between that and confusing, overwhelming dreams of scattered memories which had once been lost and then restored over time._

_He could feel him: Sorey. He knew that he was there, forever coming back to make sure that he was still breathing, it seemed. He didn't even know if he was or not by now. Was this purgatory? Or was he really just sleeping? Either way, he was faced with excruciating pain running through his body, a weakness unlike anything he had ever felt before._

_It was as though a small voice was telling him to let go. At first, he thought it might have been himself, unable to hang on much longer. Eventually, he realised that it was his mother speaking to her dying son._

_Memories strung themselves together at times, distant with voices he strained to hear. He would feel the happiness he felt with Sorey as a child, hear his laughter as the two ventured together. They were clearly so unbelievably carefree with no realisation that they would be torn apart. Of course they wouldn't realise such a thing. How could two young boys ever think of that?_

_Yet Mikleo sensed the change in himself, how the confidence he had grown from being friends with Sorey was steadily becoming fragile once his father had died at seven-years-old. Perhaps, just perhaps, he and his mother would have dealt with it much stronger if Michael didn't have the change in him._

_Screams. So many screams he would hear from Muse, and the range of these screams were huge. Anger, anguish, pain – the list went on. The injuries she sustained were always covered with a beautiful blouse, a fake, sickening beauty which was as fragile as their hearts. There was no stopping a malevolent Michael from turning on Mikleo, too, even though Muse did everything in her power to stop him._

“How did you get those bruises on your wrist?”

_Sorey – always so concerned for him, worry in his eyes. A love which was incredibly strong for someone so young._

“I-It's nothing, Sorey. Don't worry.”

_But of course he would worry, because whilst Sorey was naive about a lot of things, he still knew that there were possibilities of not knowing what went on behind closed doors. Yet Mikleo knew that Sorey wouldn't tell his parents, because the last thing he wanted was making anything worse for him. Even now, as these broken memories went through his mind, he was grateful that Sorey had always been so considerate._

_It was strange to have such a large gap with no memories of Sorey. The years without him seemed empty now, looking back on them. He was smiling, happy at his achievements, yet there always seemed something missing. He didn't fall in love. In the aspect of meeting someone who he'd constantly want to stay by the side of, he was completely unfulfilled. He died painfully with this lack of fulfilment. And now, whilst he could remember a lot of his life as a human, he still didn't remember details. His or his mother's birthday. Friends he had made. Idols he looked up to, hobbies aside from cooking… Even his own death day was something he hadn't known without being told by Lailah._

_Then, the memories became incredibly strange as an angel. He could vaguely remember training, sometimes see blurred faces of angels, yet very little else. It was as though even now, whilst he was dreaming, there was a wall between him and his current life, only disappearing once he met Sorey again._

_How he longed to return to him, even though he hadn't been certain of how long he had been separated from him and kept as a prisoner inside his mind. Now more than ever, he wanted to throw everything away in order to simply be in his arms. The hold was addictive, the lips of Sorey far more important to him than any drug – he needed to feel those lips again, feel the strong, protective hands rest themselves on his waist, be able to see the adoration in Sorey's eyes._

_“Please, Mikleo, wake up soon.”_

_He was trying. He was trying harder to do that than anything else. He didn't want to be here, reliving his memories whilst suffering from pain. It was with Sorey where he belonged._

_Though at least if he did die, the last word he would have spoken was Sorey's name._

 

* * *

 

 

“Sorey, it's already been three weeks.” He looked up from Mikleo's sleeping face to meet Lailah's eyes, which expressed guilt over her words, yet she clearly knew she had to say them. “I- I think we need to take things into our own hands.”

“How?” he questioned, looking back at Mikleo as he ran a hand through his hair. “The damage has already been done. It's not as though they can erase that.”

“I didn't mean with them. We've been talking.”

“Who is 'we'?”

“That'd be me.” Zaveid popped his head around the doorway, startling Sorey.

“I hadn't even realised you were here,” he said, managing to smile and feel amused when he saw Edna then peer around Zaveid. “It's been a while. So what have you been talking about?”

“I'm still taking my word about not making a pact with you,” Zaveid began, sounding a lot more serious than he usually did. “But that doesn't mean I'm going to stand by when Mikleo is hurt.”

“I was thinking that it might be a good idea to temporarily have the water guardian I found to join us,” she said. “So we can go to Heaven and ask if they would be able to help us with Mikleo.”

“But – but I can't leave –”

“That's where I come in,” Zaveid spoke up. “I'll stay here and watch over both Ladylake and Mikleo. You won't be that long, so it'd be fine. This place is protected anyway, isn't it?”

“It is, but… But I can't leave him.”

“You do realise that not going through with the idea might be worse for Mikleo than staying with him?” Edna asked honestly.

“I just… Uno is meant to be weaker than Mikleo anyway, isn't he? What if something went wrong because of that?”

“It's a possibility,” Lailah responded. “But after these weeks, I'm starting to think it might be worth the risk.”

Soery bit his lip, looking back down at Mikleo. It was hard enough to leave his side for when he went to work, and when he travelled to Rolance to purify malevolence whilst Dezel stayed behind – how could he travel to a whole different world, no matter how long he'd be there?

The others stayed silent, able to see that all of this was running through his mind as he pondered over what was the best thing to do. Eventually, he decided, his voice sounding tired when he spoke.

“One more week,” he said quietly. “Just give it one more week, please? If he's not woken up by then, we'll go.”

Lailah nodded. “I am happy to make that compromise.”

“I guess I'll stick around here for a while, then,” Zaveid said, placing his hands on his hips. “See the sights and all.”

“Do you mean women by 'sights'?” Edna questioned, raising an eyebrow when she received a wide grin in return.

“Of course I do!”

“Ugh. Pervert.”

Lailah giggled, though Sorey was barely listening and didn't even bring himself to smile as his gaze still lingered on Mikleo. With no change from this form aside from external injuries fading, how could Sorey expect a miracle to happen in just a week? Would there really be any change?

He had no clue at all, and it was slowly breaking him.

 

* * *

 

 

Two days later, Lailah had told Sorey that she would be travelling to Rolance in order to purify malevolence. Even though this would be hopefully on her list of what to do that day, she felt guilty over being able to tell Sorey the whole story. Luckily, whilst she was unable to lie directly without it seeming obvious, simply leaving out a certain detail was easy enough to do. After all, she had her fair share of doing this, as much as she despised it.

The previous night, when she had been walking to the church, her eyes took note of a piece of paper which had been left outside of the gates. Assuming that it couldn't have been there long – for even in the summer, the wind must have blown it away soon enough – she bent down and picked it up. She had spotted writing on the paper, and now she was curious about whether it was a letter. It turned out to be so, though she hadn't fully expected it to be addressed to her.

Her hands were shaking slightly as she began to read. Her eyes didn't have to flicker to the bottom to know who it was from, even though she was sure he may have died; she recognised the handwriting all too well.

_'Lailah,_

_It's been a long time. I'm sorry for contacting you; I know that I am the last person you want to speak to right now._

_But it is important that we meet. Would you be able to come find me in Glaivend Basin at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon? I understand why you would say no, but when I say important, I truly mean it. It's about time you learnt more about what happened after_ _we separated._

_See you soon,_

_Michael'_

She didn't want to see that man's face again, and it wasn't even because of hatred. She was guilty, because as his Prime Lord, she should have made sure that he hadn't fallen into malevolence. The fall of the Shepherd was something which all angels must try to avoid, no matter what. She had failed. She did not deserve to see him, much like he with her.

She remembered the day of his judgement all too well. A crazed, malevolent Shepherd was more dangerous than anything, perhaps even the Lord of Calamity himself. She had witnessed how much more evil he became as the years went by, how much malevolence had taken its relentless hold on him. It was why now, whilst she was faced with Sorey potentially giving into malevolence himself, that she was determined for it to not happen to him. After all, she couldn't bear to see the death of another Shepherd.

What made the judgement of Michael so much more heart-breaking for her is that he was willing. He had just enough sanity in him left to know what was happening. He _begged_ for them to end his life, that if they didn't, he would surely turn into a hellion and only bring more chaos into the world. And so, his life was taken quickly. As all fallen Shepherds were subjected to, he was then reincarnated as a demon stripped of most powers, as punishment for his sins.

Lailah had no idea what happened to Michael following this reincarnation. Her and many others had suspected he was murdered, for demons often disliked those who were once the Shepherd. However, if this was Michael, then that theory was clearly wrong.

A shiver then ran down her spine. What if this _wasn't_ Michael? Could Lailah now be the one who Symonne was targeting, and with her knowledge of Michael, was using his name in order to lure Lailah to her?

She had to take that risk regardless, and she had to do so alone, just in case it _was_ Michael. After all, what he wanted to tell her might have been of absolute importance. Lailah couldn't chance missing out on that.

What he wanted to tell her might have been far too great, and she hoped deeply that he had information which would be able to help Mikleo. Just like he was willing to sacrifice himself, she too would do the same for him. Always. Because he had lost his life once, and she would not allow her failures to cause that to happen again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think people are going to throw rocks at me for not letting Mikleo wake up in this chapter. Sorry about that.
> 
> Next week's is the longest yet - just over 10,000 words! Hopefully you're looking forward to it. I think chapter 21 might end up being long, too, so I'd appreciate any feedback to keep me going.
> 
> Also, please check out my Tumblr skia-visuals if you want to see artwork, updates and ways to support me! Take care!


	20. Upper Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lailah ventures off alone in order to find Michael, uncertain about whether or not she is being led into a trap. Meanwhile, Mikleo's state of unconsciousness becomes much more torturous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if you guys are holding on okay. You seem to be hurting a little. There there.
> 
> Ahh, a chapter which is probably far too long and will not change in length next week. Hopefully you enjoy it!

Perhaps it was the determination Lailah felt for finally receiving the answers she had wanted for years which lessened her fear and concern.

Like she had done so before several times in her life, she had carefully sneaked past travellers at the train station, ensuring that she did not bump into any of them, before hiding away on the train. It was at least a weekday and was not a peak time, meaning that the train wasn't as crowded as it could have been. Plus, she was able to focus due to Sorey being in work. Whilst he struggled immensely there due to knowing Mikleo was still unconscious back home, he at least had Alisha with him, now fully aware of his problems. It helped him a little to simply have someone who knew what was happening and cared about it.

Nerves had started to build up slightly inside her as the journey went on, but she was quick to push them to one side. _'This isn't just for me, it's for Mikleo,'_ she told herself mentally. _'After all, he might be able to assist me in some way, if he isn't as warped as_ _some_ _other demons'._

Regardless, she still had to be careful. Even if this _wasn't_ a set-up by Symonne, there was still the possibility that Michael himself was luring her into a trap. She doubted that he would be, for it had been clear at the end of his life that he had regretted falling into malevolence. However, she knew she had to bear this small chance in mind, otherwise she would be dead before she knew what was happening.

She got off the train at Lastonbell, taking a moment to smile at the city's liveliness. Even whilst alone, she enjoyed the atmosphere. In fact, she perhaps did so more, because she was easily able to focus on what was around her. Bright lively crowds, the cheerful sounds of traders in the streets… Even if she preferred the beauty and serenity of Ladylake, she enjoyed being in Lastonbell a great deal, too.

But she knew she wasn't here for sightseeing. She left the city quickly, now holding talismans behind her back as she headed towards Glaivend Basin. Her steps grew cautious, her eyes hardly blinking as they carefully scanned the area around her. The silence was chilling. It made her feel as though someone was ready to jump out at her any second.

A figure _did_ emerge from above her head before long, but it was not in a way to attack. A hand shielded Lailah's eyes from the sun shining down on her as she watched the figure land in front of her. He raised his head at her, eyes bearing sadness, yet he was smiling. It was strange that she could briefly ignore the pitch-black wings spread either side of him due to seeing the familiar face. Brown hair, violet eyes the exact same as Mikleo's – she could only stare for a moment in disbelief.

She eventually spoke, worried that her voice might have shook, but felt relieved when she sounded like her normal self. “I thought you might have died.”

“So do many others,” he responded quietly. “Let's head down to that forestry over there. I can't sense any presence, but there's no harm in being cautious.”

There was a moment of hesitation. After all, at least in the open, Lailah could see if anyone else was with him, and she was a little apprehensive over following him. But Michael was right, there _was_ no other presence, and his voice sounded as though he was emotional over seeing Lailah again. And so, she eventually nodded, following him away from the deserted lands.

“By many others,” Lailah spoke up once they were inside the forestry, “do you mean demons, too?”

Michael shook his head. “Definitely not. I shall explain.” They continued to walk for a few moments, Michael's voice a little softer when he spoke again. “How have you been?”

“Fairly well. The new Shepherd is absolutely lovely, and I'm enjoying his and Mikleo's company, even if...”

Her words trailed off. Pain struck through Michael's heart from her sudden sadness, and he too sounded hurt when he spoke. “Yes, I've heard about that. I pick up a lot of information whilst staying hidden. I'll move onto that in a bit. Why don't we sit down for now?”

She did so, taking a seat next to him on the fallen log. A pang of pain went through her chest; this scene felt so familiar, with them sitting together in reposeful nature, the only sound being the odd footsteps of an animal, or the chirping of birds in the distance. Sunlight escaped through the leaves of trees rustling gently above their heads. It was all a confusing mixture of welcoming and sorrowful.

“What did you want to explain to me?” Lailah asked eventually. They had been silent for what seemed to have been minutes, Michael apparently having the same thoughts and feelings as Lailah about where they were.

“A lot of things.” There was a pause. “And please, no matter what I say, I want you to promise me that you'll hear me through to the end.”

The words brought an immediate amount of tension. “I… That is a lot to promise, Michael.”

“I know it is,” he responded, closing his eyes as he leaned forward slightly, hands resting on his lap. “I am very well aware that I'm asking a lot by requesting this. It's up to you whether you agree or not.”

The words were so sincere that Lailah decided to agree. “All right.”

He turned to her for a moment, smiling. “Thank you. I want to start with the malevolence that was taking me over. I just want you to know that I never intended to turn out how I did. I – I just got obsessed with power and never having enough to cleanse the whole world. Things are different than they used to be. The people don't have faith, and it's harder to purify malevolence because of that. Religious and spiritual beliefs are rarer than before.

“It was this which I think drove me insane eventually. Never being enough to drive it all away, even though I partially knew then, and properly know now, that there _has_ to be at least a small amount of malevolence for good to exist. I wanted a perfect world for my sister and nephew. I...” He paused, letting out a sigh. “I wanted to be the perfect Shepherd for you. But I failed, and I let the malevolence take me over. For that, I'll always be sorry to you.”

Lailah was unsure of how to respond to this for a moment, replaying his words in her mind. The times they had spoken about his malevolence had been all argumentative, Lailah begging for him to not give in to the darkness. But here he was now, a demon, yet apologising for evil. It wasn't what she had expected and she found that she was hurting from it.

“You should have explained how you felt to me,” she eventually said quietly. “I could have helped you.”

“I was too afraid for help. Too ashamed, as well. I didn't want to seem weak.” He lowered his head, the hands on his lap clenching into fists. “Yet I know now that I should have spoken to you. After all, what happened to Muse and Mikleo could have been prevented otherwise. And now, they're both separated forever. I… I could have stopped that.”

Lailah's eyes widened. “Were you aware of his death when it happened?”

There was a silence, broken by an upset voice, suddenly making him seem smaller. “More than you would expect.”

“What do you mean? Do you know what happened to him? Please, tell me.”

“I was going to.” Michael wasn't meeting her gaze, his posture worsening by the second, which Lailah could have only assumed was from insecurity. “But remember about your oath, Lailah. You won't be able to speak of this to anyone, and I don't want you to break from knowing so much yet being able to say so little.”

“I thought that might have been the case,” she answered quietly. “And as much as I know it will be painful, I still need to know what happened. It could potentially help with what is currently happening, and even after everything, I still care about you. I want you to be honest with me.

Michael nodded, satisfied with her answer and feeling less doubtful over what he wanted to reveal to her. “Mikleo was fifteen when I was reincarnated as a demon, wasn't he?”

“Yes, that's right.”

“Before he then died at eighteen.”

Lailah nodded slowly, wondering where he was going with this.

“His death had been planned for years,” he then began. “They had already existed when I became a demon, so there's a chance that these plans had already been put in place long before I did so, and so more than three years before he actually died. The thing is that they were trying to work out _when_ they should kill him. Should it have been when his and Sorey's memories of each other had returned, or should it be before that? I'm sure you can figure out why this was debated for so long.

“Heldalf didn't hold much power at first, when he was being consumed by malevolence. But then as his malevolence became blinding, turning him into even more of a monster, certain demons began to realise what could bring destruction to the world; a Lord of Calamity, who will lead them to chaos. Whilst he has been building power in Hell, demons on his side – and of course, Symonne – have been discussing Heldalf's beliefs. He said that if a Shepherd could be tainted and join their side before they were executed like me, they will help bring forth more destruction. I was personally despised by many other demons for not being this Shepherd, and so information over this was never shared directly to me. It took a lot of effort over the years to string together their plans.”

“So did they decide on what was the best course of action for sacrificing Mikleo?” Lailah, who had been absorbed in his story, eventually asked.

“Yes. They decided that rather than allow his and Sorey's memories to restore, it would be much more of an impact if they took advantage of the altered memories angels decided on. Their original plan was for Symonne to use her power to kill Mikleo through a sudden illness. Of course, both angels and demons are able to use their power to end lives, just in case a human steps out of line in regards to the balance. But angels, as a more trusted creature, are able to do this more without having as much of a consequence on themselves. This really does show how inequality can backfire, considering Symonne is no less than a demon in regards to her personality and beliefs, yet physically, she is no more of a demon than you are – aside from the artes she was taught by Heldalf, of course.

“Following this death was the plan to keep his soul hostage within Hell. Demons were planning on tainting him with malevolence and using _him_ to bring Sorey to their side as their memories restored painfully, or if he refused to be tainted, simply using him as a lore for Sorey.”

“So what happened?” Lailah asked, feeling slightly puzzled. “Why did they not go through with this plan?”

There was a silence as Michael's head lowered, his voice once again quiet. “Because I stopped them.”

Her eyes widened. “But how...”

“It is not in a way that I wanted. But of course, I'm sure you're aware that one outcast demon was hopeless against the others who were part of this plan.”

“Then what way was it?” Her voice was quiet too now, fearing the answer.

“Because I killed him myself.”

A tense, horrified silence washed over them. Before long, Lailah had gotten to her feet, hands grasping at Michael's shirt. He did not flinch even the slightest amount when she started shouting.

“Your nephew? You killed your _own nephew?!”_

Michael nodded slowly. “I can assure you that I didn't want to, and I would have chosen another option if it was available.”

“You – you could have spoken to me, we would've protected him...”

But he was shaking his head. “Whilst the disease might have seemed sudden, it had already been planted inside him a year beforehand. It was completely irreversible by the time I found out about it.” He paused, letting out a sigh. “I wish I had found out sooner. But I didn't. And the thing is about the death angels and demons can bring is that they are nothing like natural diseases. There is no possible way for a human to be able to discover from what happened to Mikleo without being told the truth, because it is far beyond their comprehension.”

The grip on him loosened. “So you took matters into your own hands.”

He nodded. “I promise that I had no other choice. Even as a demon, I have always felt guilty over how I treated him. The last thing I wanted to do was kill him as well. But I knew that if I didn't, the consequences would be so much worse. And so, I intersected with the disease they had given him and caused it to worsen earlier without them realising. Once they knew what had happened, it was too late. Upon his death, his soul was not captured, and instead sent to Heaven. I knew that this way, he would at least now be an angel. That was the lesser of two evils his death would have brought.”

Lailah released his shirt, a little startled when she saw that tears were welling in his eyes, a single one trickled down his cheek, but in a way, she was glad to see those tears. After all, it meant that his word was true, and he wasn't making excuses or lying to her.

She sat back down next to him and brought him into a hug. He was stiff at first, uncertain in arms which he had not felt for so long. But eventually, he returned the embrace, smiling as her hair brushed against his face.

“I can truly admire the bravery you had shown through your actions,” she murmured. “It was a terrible decision you had to face, and as a guardian angel who brings souls to the afterlife, I understand how difficult these moments can be.”

“It _was_ difficult,” Michael said quietly into her shoulder. “Even after being a Shepherd, I never once faced a decision like that. To let my nephew fall into their hands, or kill him myself to stop it...” He swallowed, throat sore from the tears he was now holding back. “It was too cruel.”

“I think he needs to know about this,” Lailah soon said, parting from him. “But of course, I cannot do as such without mentioning your name...”

“I did say that –”

“I know,” she said quietly. “I don't blame you.”

“I hope to explain it to him myself one day. I just… I've not been able to face him, or any of you. Both because of emotional reasons, but also because I've been driven to take refuge in different countries frequently, as I am hunted by demons.”

“I did want to ask about that. Did they found out it was you?”

“They assumed, which was enough. After all, a demon interfering like this? Whilst it could have been any demon disagreeing with their plans, I think that considering they knew I still have good in me and that Mikleo is my nephew, they easily decided that it was me. And so, they wanted to kill me, of course. But I fled, and have been fleeing from them since. It's been … tough, to put it lightly. After all, it's been five years of trying to not be found. It's especially dangerous around here because of Sorey not being that far.”

“I appreciate how much risk you have taken to speak to me, then,” Lailah smiled softly. “It really does show that you still care.”

“Of course. Me being a demon doesn't change that.”

A silence had fell for a while, both thinking over what had been revealed to her, before Lailah spoke again.

“Do you know about Mikleo losing his memories and how it was caused?”

“I have heard about what happened to him, but I don't know how it was caused. After all, I haven't been able to obtain much information aside from a word here and there.” He leaned forward with his chin resting on his hands, eyes thoughtful. “However, I do believe it is highly likely that he was intercepted on his way down to Earth by a demon, or Symonne. They must have wanted to try and take the matter of him being into an angel into their own hands and alter his memories in order to cause struggles for him and Sorey.”

“The attack that had been on Heaven happened during the same time,” Lailah contributed. “So do you think that attack could have been a distraction?”

“I wouldn't say it would have been fully intended to be for that purpose, considering that it was an incredibly large feat. However, they probably took advantage of it to harm Mikleo. It seems like it would have been the best time to do it. And now...” He paused, closing his eyes momentarily as he inhaled deeply. “What is happening to him now is unacceptable. I discovered last week about the event with that hellion and – and I just cannot believe the extent they will go to in order to taint Sorey. Was the weapon one of the ones designed to kill our kinds?”

“Yes, it was.”

“And yet he's still alive?”

Her nod made him sigh again, this time in relief. “He's still unconscious, but yes, he's alive.”

“That is honestly one of the most incredible things I've heard. He must be fighting strongly to still be alive. You do know, however, that if he _does_ survive, his power will be fragile?”

She nodded, eyes struck with pain. “Yes. I've already told Sorey of this.”

“It'll only get worse if he is continued to be harmed, so please watch out for him. Don't think for a moment that if he survives, it means that you've won against them, because they will not lose confidence from his survival. They'd likely use it to torture Sorey further, and we can't let another Shepherd fall. It'd be even worse, too, when considering Mikleo's role.”

“I'll be careful, don't worry.”

“There's one other thing, too.” Michael seemed hesitant to say his following words, yet still swallowed and continued, knowing that they were important to express. “The weapons demons create are not at all like that of angels, or at least, not all of them. Angels' weapons are merely designed to kill as necessary. Ours can be designed for a torturous death. You have probably been able to tell that he is in pain and is in fear during his unconsciousness. It will be when he is finally forcing himself out of this that his mind will be even more tortured. Currently, he is likely reliving memories of his life. It is very likely that he will start to relive his worst moments, perhaps beginning to do so already.”

She visibly flinched over this, knowing full well just how awful that would be for him after everything he had been through. “Thank you for warning me. Hopefully we can somehow help him.”

“I have faith in you for that. I really should be going soon; I fear being found, and I'd rather you not get caught up in that.”

“No, it's fine,” Lailah said as she stood up besides him. “I understand. Thank you for telling me of this.”

“It's the least I can do now, after everything I've done in the past.”

They walked silently through the forestry, and for a moment, they felt at peace once again among the nature. It was almost as though this reunion among the beauty of summer was clearing their troubles and hardships, though of course, it was impossible for this to be the case entirely. They eventually stepped out of the forestry, steps taking them onto stretches of grass, in which their realities were now returning to them.

“I want you to promise me something, too,” Michael spoke up, turning to Lailah. “I know that I don't deserve promises, but this isn't for me. It's for Mikleo.”

“I'd accept any promise if it is for his well being.”

Michael smiled, feeling both guilty and blessed that Mikleo had this woman care so deeply for him. “One of the reasons Heldalf does not visit Earth regularly himself is because there is fear that a pure soul could be sacrificed in order to purify, or even kill him. The purest soul you can possibly get is that of an angel. I have heard brief stories about Mikleo's fight against Symonne and Lunarre, and I remember how he often wanted to try and protect Muse from me, so I can suspect he is the type of person who would sacrifice himself if necessary. I want you to promise me that he will not let himself be that sacrifice, even if it turns out that one must be made. He has been through such a huge amount of ordeals that I don't want him to have his life end for this. He… He deserves much better than that.”

Lailah nodded, her voice expressing deep sincerity when she spoke. “I will make sure he doesn't,” she said. “I agree with you entirely. I will not allow him to harm himself in such a way.”

“Thank you. I can imagine him being convinced he needs to do this, considering he is likely going to struggle with how his magic will be straining from now on. That's why I had to make sure.” A smile grew on his face, and for the first time since their meeting, a shine seemed to appear in his eyes. “Though there is something that will help him with this power, if he and Sorey manage to achieve Armatization.”

Lailah tilted her head to once side. “What is that?”

“An ancient artefact. It is a bow designed for water guardians. Its power is heightened greatly during Armatization.”

She sighed and shook her head. “I'm afraid that it was stolen by demons. Luckily, Sorey at least has the Sacred Blade, and if he was ever able to Armatize with Edna or Dezel, they have their own weapons, too. It is a shame that Mikleo cannot obtain his own.”

“I know about it being stolen.” Lailah blinked; there was now a strange hint of amusement in his eyes and voice. “But I stole it back.”

“What?” she gasped, holding a hand to her mouth. “Surely...”

“They were only being stored away,” he explained. “As for someone who has spent such a great deal of time acting stealthily, I was able to retrieve it easily. Considering its not as though angels can simply waltz into Hell, chances are that they haven't even checked on it for a while. I have kept it hidden in the ruins which exist under Ladylake.”

“Oh, Michael,” she whispered, smile growing. “You really have helped us on the sidelines, haven't you?”

“Even if I've been unable to fight by your side, I have always wanted to help you. It might be strange that now, as a demon, I want to help you more than ever, but I guess death can change people for the better.” He turned, looking at the nature which existed around Lastonbell. “I should definitely get going, now. But I hope I've helped you today.”

“You most certainly have. Thank you.”

He merely waved over his shoulder as his steps took him away, leaving Lailah standing there on her own, all of the information she had been told swirling around her mind.

Even if she could not speak of most of it, she knew that knowing this would be of benefit to her. At least she now understood more about what the demons' previous intentions had been, and also knew more about the state Mikleo was currently in. She was left a lot less blind than previously and she could not have been more grateful for being pulled out of a world half-covered by shadow.

 _'I hope we meet again,'_ she thought to herself as she made her way back to Lastonbell with the intention of returning to Ladylake, now she realised that a decent amount of time had passed. _'After all, I would have never expected you to change this much.'_

 

* * *

 

 

The temperature which had previously been intense started to cool down as Lailah returned home, feeling thankful for summer rain now pouring down. Whilst she naturally found herself able to withstand heat well, her thoughts had drifted to Sorey and Alisha sweltering outside, as well as Mikleo's strange, fluctuating temperature in his sleep.

This rain pattered down on her head and wings as she took flight towards Sorey's apartment, feeling positive due to the meeting with Michael. She was now very relieved that she took the risk to see him; after all, who knew how long she would have been unknowing about what he had talked about if she had not seen him today?

Before long, she was entering Sorey's apartment, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was half an hour until Sorey's shift finished, though she was certain that Edna would have returned from purifying a small amount of malevolence in Marlind today.

“Edna?” she called. She could faintly hear the floorboards creaking loudly, and she was soon to see why; Edna had ran into the living room, Lailah's eyes widening at how panicked she seemed. “What's the matter?”

“Mikleo, he's –” She had to swallow, obviously finding it difficult to form words. “I don't know what's going on with him!”

Michael's warning began to ring in her ears. With a strange sense of calmness from knowing what was likely happening, she hurried past Edna and into the bedroom, eyes landing on Mikleo in the bed. It struck both pain and fear in Lailah's chest to see him; whilst he had previously been mostly calm in his sleep, only disturbed with a wince or small whimper here and there, he was now beginning to thrash violently, as though something in his mind was torturing him immensely.

“I don't know what to do,” Edna cried as Lailah immediately swooped down next to the bed, crouching as she cupped Mikleo's face in his hands, which was a struggle from his convulsive movements. “I got here twenty minutes ago, I was so scared that I didn't think of contacting you...”

“Just try to breathe, Edna,” Lailah stated calmly, even though her heart was hammering. “He'll be all right, we just –”

But she was interrupted by a scream being released from Mikleo suddenly, one which expressed utter agony, the state of being absolutely terrified. Lailah had to push down his shoulders in an attempt to calm down the violent thrashes of his body, but even though she wasn't particularly weak in the slightest, she faced intense difficulty doing so.

“What's happening?” Edna asked, pushing through her fear to creep closer and help Lailah hold his body down. “Why is he being like this?”

“It's – it's the weapon that was used on him,” Lailah explained, certain she could at least say a small amount without revealing Michael's name. “The weapons demons have to execute others are much more torturous; he's likely reliving his worst memories right now.”

Edna looked horrified over the thought, clearly too distraught to question how Lailah knew this. She looked back down at Mikleo, who had at least temporarily stopped screaming, yet was now whimpering instead, face lined in sweat.

“Mikleo, can you hear me?” Lailah asked, surprising herself over how her voice was barely shaking at all, when inside, she felt as though she did not even have the courage to speak. “Please…”

“It's no use,” Edna said quietly. “I've been trying to wake him up since I got home.”

Lailah shook her head. “No, I think his body is trying to bring him to consciousness, he's just...”

She bit down on her lip, trying to believe her own words as she stared down at the sunken, deathly face. She lowered herself down to press a kiss on his forehead, able to feel the intense trembling of his body more when she was closer to him.

“Come home, Sorey,” Edna whispered. “Please.”

 

* * *

 

 

_Images swirled together manically, unable to be pulled apart at first, before slowly,_ _they_ _became clear. They were agonising to watch, one after the other, flashbacks of moments which he wanted to be suppressed._

_Before, he had felt as though he was still somehow awake, merely just exhausted with the knowledge that he was actually unconscious. But now, his mind was delirious, the torture of being trapped now seeming as though it was all one awful nightmare. He couldn't know if it was or not. It almost seemed as though this was what people meant when your 'life flashes before your eyes'. Only this was merely just selected parts of this life._

_Part of him wished it meant he was dying. After all, he had momentarily thought that death would have been the only, and the easiest, answer to deal with this. But then he was torn, because somewhere in his breaking mind, he knew someone was waiting for him._

_He witnessed the death of his father at first. His mother had sat him down after exiting his hospital room, tears staining her face, and Mikleo knew immediately what had happened._

“ _He's dead, isn't he?” he asked quietly, certain that the heart disease which had cursed his father's side of the family had finally taken him. This certainty of Mikleo's was confirmed with a nod of Muse's head, as she pulled her son into her arms. He couldn't cry at first, for he simply felt numb, unsure of what he should say or how he should be feeling emotionally. But then everything weighed down on top of him all at once; how his father would never smile again, how there would never be the sound of his laughter, that Mikleo and Muse would never feel such incredible joy over a time where he'd be at his strongest..._

_Then, in an instant, this scene transformed into Michael slapping Muse across the face with such force that she stumbled, a hand landing on a table to steady herself._

“ _I am sick of you using me!”_

“ _We're not, Michael! You promised that you would take us in, why are you putting the blame on us?”_

“ _Of course you are, that's what everyone does! No one understands about_ my _struggles, do they? No one takes a moment to even think about what I'm going through! Oh, shut_ up, _Mikleo!”_

_For Mikleo had started crying out of fear from how much Michael had been bellowing. His shoulders were taken roughly, his body shaken._

“ _Stop with this nonsense! You call yourself my nephew when you're as cowardly as this?”_

“ _Get off him!” Muse shouted, trying to prise Michael off him, though his grip was firm, causing Mikleo to wince. “You're hurting him!”_

“ _Some brats need a bit of rough handling to make them stronger,” Michael snapped. “All he ever does is cry!”_

“ _And can you blame him, with how you are? You sicken me!”_

_Michael finally removed Mikleo's arms, though now eyes with burning hatred and anger were fixed on Muse instead, his hands reaching for the belt around his hips, unfastening it._

“ _I'll teach you that no sister should speak to the brother who has made sacrifices to help her,” he hissed, taking the belt into both of his hands as she stared down at it in horror, goosebumps forming on skin as she instinctively took a couple of steps back. “I'll teach you what everyone has caused me to be!”_

“ _Wait! Don't, Mikleo!”_

_Terrified, yet no longer wanting to see his mother become hurt, he had leaped out to her and pushed her away, small enough for the belt to narrowly escape him. He shot a defiant glare at Michael, and for a moment, he thought he might have backed down. But that glare soon turned into panicked eyes as the belt rose again, still swiping despite the fact that a different woman was now screaming for Michael to stop –_

_Even though he was watching this memory, the pain of a cut slit down his cheek still flared, though before long, there was a warmth there, the figure of Lailah now healing the cut on his cheek, murmuring about altering memories._

_Following this memory came scattered images joined together as opposed to just one. It was a feeling of loneliness that he had never understood before, but he knew now. Why did he feel as though something was missing from his life? Why didn't he feel as though he couldn't love enough? Little had he known about his altered memories, the existence of Sorey wiped from it. Memories of a boy he was meant to love were gone, but not completely; he'd feel confused when he saw a head of messy brown hair, or looked into a vibrant pair of green eyes. He never knew what made these so important, and though he pushed it away, it gave him a feeling of being lost._

_Before long, he was witnessing his collapse, his mother panicking before calming herself, believing that nothing was seriously wrong, yet not realising just how agonising the following days would be. Mikleo's body, weak and slowly dying, was something a mother should never witness, especially at just eighteen years old._

_It was so strange to see. Upon dying, Mikleo had remained in this very dying body as he became an angel. His height and weight were the same, all that had changed being the colour of his hair and how it was now reaching further down his neck, and then, of course, his wings. How could he be the same as this boy, who was coughing painfully with exhausted, hurting eyes blinking up at his mother leaning over him?_

_And how she cried when Mikleo had taken his last breath. She howled louder than she had ever done so before, hugging the body of her deceased son, questioning why the world had been so cruel._

_Now he was in pain once again, only this time, it was when he had been attacked at the graveyard. Suddenly, upon knowing he was in love with Sorey, the screams for him and desperation over how he had been so damaged were even more painful to hear than they had been back then. He could see the fear burning in Sorey's eyes, and the guilt in his own._

_But then his sadness only escalated upon watching his mother give the story of his death. Her breathless, heartbroken sobs, Sorey's own tears falling, Mikleo feeling as though he could fall apart as he watched – it was the scene of the painful love between mother and son which was torn apart by death, and would never be able to be embraced again. In this moment, he was sure that this was enough. He could feel himself breaking, and was beginning to wish for any way out of here, to not have to watch any more of these distressing memories. Why did he have to watch them again? Had he not already been through enough having to live through them, never mind having to watch them repeatedly like this?_

_However, his mind soon managed to bring him back to a memory which had been erased aside from a few screamed words which had echoed in his mind, the one memory which had caused him to once again scream and thrash in his sleep._

_He assumed this was the moment after he had been told to flee from Heaven and go to the Shepherd. During his transition to Earth, one must pass through the monochrome world of Purgatory, and it was here that he found himself slammed against a crumbling building, a tremendous pain shooting through his skull, his ears ringing. He held a hand against the wall of the building as his body slumped, turning to the one who had attacked him._

“ _Finally,” hissed a threatening voice, frightened violet eyes staring into wild red ones. “Finally, we have you where we want you!”_

“ _What are you doing?” Mikleo demanded, shakily getting to his feet as he observed the pure black wings. “You're not permitted to interfere like this. Are you part of the group who infiltrated Heaven?”_

“ _That I am,” the man grinned manically. “Now, my orders don't require me to harm you,” he suddenly lunged forward, grasping at Mikleo's neck and pinning him up against the wall, gasping for breath, “but heh, I don't like you.”_

“ _We've never met," Mikleo rasped out._

“ _Oh, but I know everything about you. And I hate how pure your role is in this world!”_

“ _My role?”_

“ _Of course, altered memories. Eheh, poor, poor angel… So_ clueless _about everything.” Mikleo tried to pull away the arm when the grip increased in strength, but the physical stature of this man was greater than his, and his struggles were laughed at. “We own your life. It's you who will help bring the age of Calamity, and you can't do anything to stop that!”_

“ _What –”_

_He had no chance to say more before an arte was cast, causing him to scream as pain ran its course around his body. The man grinned wickedly, releasing Mikleo's neck only to kick him inside, soon lunging fast punches, barely able to be seen from their speed. Each time Mikleo attempted to conjure his staff, it was a blow which would stop him, and he was eventually left falling to his knees on the floor, retching and coughing up a few droplets of blood._

“ _My name is Lunarre,” the man suddenly greeted, crouching down and grasping Mikleo's hair to yank his head back, grinning at the hiss of pain. “I'd ask you to remember that name, of the guy who did this to you. But … heheh, I'm afraid that you won't remember it, as much of a treat it would've been for you to fear me forever.”_

_With one eye squeezed shut from the pain and the other open, Mikleo asked, “What do you mean, I won't remember it?”_

“ _Because I'm going to use that nice, helpful power we have to remove all your memories,” he said lowly, his tone menacing. “Because in the end, that's what's going to cause you pain, to not remember anything of your life. Not your mother, not the friends you've made since becoming an angel…”_

 _Panic surged through Mikleo. With an even bigger grin, the grip on his hair was released. He began to back away, overcome by fear over losing the memories which he had focused on in order to stay positive. Lunarre seemed to be enjoying the fear, watching Mikleo's back hit against the wall behind him. “N-No, you can't...” Lunarre didn't answer, simply creeping closer, Mikleo's body too frozen to move. “Stay back!” he was now screaming, eyes widening in fear as he felt as though his mind was being invaded, ready to lose itself. “_ Don't!”

“ _And in the end, this will bring despair to the future Shepherd, too,” he murmured as Mikleo's sight began to darken, his screams ignored._

“ _Mikleo, please...”_

_Who was that? That person didn't belong here, this was just him and Lunarre._

“ _Wake up… Please, just wake up!”_

_But wasn't he awake and now falling unconscious, memories being taken away from his mind? Yes, he certainly did seem to be fading, everything around him becoming fainter, a strange feeling of bliss washing over him…_

“ _He's stopped breathing! Why has he stopped breathing?! Hey Mikleo, it's me, it's Sorey… Come on, don't you dare leave now!”_

_The world seemed to become more vivid in that instant, his mind seeming to return to itself. No, he hadn't just had his memories stolen from him – that had already happened, now he was just witnessing it, unconscious in this torture._

_He could feel the warmth of arms around him, his name screamed agonisingly, begging for him to come back, to just let him see his eyes once more…_

And he did come back. Slowly, but surely, his eyes opened, worn and almost lifeless. They winced at the light, the whole room blurred and unclear, though they could just make out a head of brown hair buried into his shoulder.

“Sorey,” Lailah's voice said softly in disbelief. “ _Sorey!”_

Sorey's head shot up, and suddenly, it was seeing those wide, hopeful eyes which is what seemed to make the room steadily become clearer. Sorey could only stare for a moment, unsure of whether or not what he saw was the truth, before he was hugging Mikleo once again, his hold tight with a sense of desperation.

“Oh, thank God,” he whispered. “You're awake, you're finally awake...”

Mikleo couldn't speak, too much in a state of shock from his sleep to be able to move his lips, or even return the embrace. Sorey was leaning above him again now from this lack of response, cupping Mikleo's cheeks with his hands.

“You're alive,” he continued, his voice as soft as ever. He rested their foreheads together, now letting out a relieved, delighted laugh, tears falling from his eyes along with it. “You didn't… You pulled through, Mikleo...” He was now pressing kisses on Mikleo's face, as though he wanted to make sure he was truly there, before his lips found their way to Mikleo's. His mind and body finally seemed to respond a little as a result of this kiss; he managed to kiss back, a hand simply resting on Sorey's arm, but he was still far too perplexed to truly understand what was happening.

“Speak to me,” Sorey ended up saying as he pulled away, his thumb rubbing Mikleo's cheek. “What's the matter?”

“It's probably shock,” Lailah said quietly, immediately regretting doing so, for it felt wrong for her to interrupt.

“It's okay,” Sorey said, Mikleo blinking up at him, feeling his fear diminish slightly upon the warm, gentle smile he was receiving. “You're okay now.”

Mikleo finally found the energy and will to shake his head. An arm was now reaching over his eyes, teeth biting down onto a quivering lip as tears escaped him, trailing down his face silently.

Sorey's heart sank, and with careful arms, he brought Mikleo slowly up into a seating position, bringing him into an embrace, his head resting on its side on Sorey's chest. “You _are_ okay, see? You're back now,” he told him, a hand rubbing in circular motions near the base of his wings. But Mikleo was shaking his head again, hands grasping at Sorey's shirt, bringing himself closer, choked sobs escaping him, still not saying a single word.

“It's over now,” Sorey murmured, planting a kiss onto Mikleo's head. “I'm right here, okay? I'm always here.” He could feel his heart break more with each passing second, yet he forced the rest of his tears back, knowing that he had to be strong in order for Mikleo to be so, too. There was silence for countless minutes, Lailah and Edna watching with hurting eyes. Mikleo's body just wouldn't stop shaking, the crying seemed like it might never end – the boy who had grown so confident, so _sure_ of everything was now this, all because Sorey was desired to fall. It was devastating, and only became more so when Sorey's grip had loosened, wondering if Mikleo would be better lying back down, and arms had wrapped around Sorey's neck tightly in response.

He finally spoke in a small, broken voice. “Please don't go.”

“I'm not going anywhere,” Sorey reassured him. “I'm never leaving you.”

Mikleo only seemed to shuffle closer from those words, his head buried into Sorey's shoulder. He was desperate to not let go, fear making him believe that if he did, he'd be alone again, back in that torture. Sorey seemed to understand this, continuing to rub Mikleo's back gently, willing for the trembling in his body to settle. Eventually, it seemed to do as such, Mikleo's grip loosening slightly, but still not letting go.

“See, you're all right,” Sorey told him quietly, pressing a kiss on top of his head. “You're all right, Mikleo.”

“I'm not,” he whispered, voice barely audible from a combination of the quietness of his voice and how it had been muffled slightly from Sorey's shoulder. “I'm so weak.”

“You're not weak, I've told you that –”

But Mikleo was finally bringing his head up from Sorey's shoulder, his eyes fearful and lost as they met Sorey's. “I mean my body,” he said quietly, a shake in his voice. “It's like my magic's draining from me. I don't think I –” He interrupted himself with a wince, clutching at his head. Sorey was immediately holding his arms, worry quickly building up when he saw that Mikleo had swayed slightly, dizziness taking over.

“Lie back down, rest your eyes for a moment –”

“ _I can't!”_ Mikleo suddenly screamed, hands clutching once again at Sorey's shirt, who was taken aback – never had he seen fear like this in those usually passionate eyes. Both Lailah and Edna, still watching silently, had jumped from the sudden loud volume. “What if I end up falling back asleep? What if I have to relive all that again?” His voice was quietening again now, head falling in between the hands on Sorey's chest. “I can't do that,” he whispered, the violent trembling returning to his body. “I can't watch it all again.”

Sorey slowly pulled Mikleo into his lap immediately, an arm under his leg and another around his shoulders, leaning his head against the one which had returned to his shoulder. “You don't have to, okay? You're going to be fine.”

Apparently, Mikleo no longer had the energy or willpower to cling to Sorey, instead letting his body rest against his almost lifelessly, his breathing heavy. It was strange for Sorey that in this moment, he was the strongest he had been in almost a month, since the day Mikleo had fallen unconscious. The determination to protect, the desire to stop this fear, this agony Mikleo was forced to be in; they were bringing back his strength, reminding him that it truly was the protection of others which brought out the best in him.

“How can you be so sure?” Mikleo asked eventually. The height of just how uncertain he sounded, how doubtful he was of himself, struck pain in Sorey's heart, but he was determined to not let it show.

“Because I know you,” he said, lips finding their way back to Mikleo's head. “And I know that nothing will ever bring you down.”

There was a silent pause after those words, before finally, Mikleo had moved again to wrap his arms back around Sorey. “As long as you're here.”

Sorey smiled from those words, slipping out his arm from underneath Mikleo's legs to run a hand through his hair. The contact caused Mikleo to pull back, closing his eyes as he pressed his lips against Sorey's, body visibly relaxing as soon as they made contact. Sorey's own eyes fluttered shut, kissing back gently as he pulled Mikleo slightly closer, smiling into the kiss as he felt Mikleo's wings encase around them. With a sense of hope brought from Mikleo's fear finally reducing, he was able to fully comprehend what was happening. Mikleo was awake, alive – he had fought through the agony, all of the awful memories he was forced to witness… He was right here, his hands on Sorey's shoulder's tightening slightly from the kiss deepening, his body bringing itself up slightly. Every small movement, from the shuffling of his legs to the twitch of a wing in response to a tongue gliding across his own, it was all real, right here in Sorey's hold, and he was still in disbelief about it.

He was blinking in confusion when Mikleo pulled back abruptly, momentarily a little panicked, but he saw that Mikleo's cheeks were pink and he was looking straight past Sorey at Lailah and Edna.

“I – uh, sorry,” he said, apparently embarrassed that he had been sat in his lover's lap and kissing him, without even acknowledging their presence. But they, of course, didn't care; now that Mikleo's attention had finally been brought to them, Edna was running over and leaping herself at Mikleo, causing him to stumble out of Sorey's lap.

“Edna, watch him!” Lailah cried, but her face broke out into a smile when Mikleo, after screaming just torturous minutes ago, was now laughing lightly.

“Hey,” he said softly, hugging Edna, who squeezed onto him silently. She realised that she _did_ have to be careful eventually, pulling apart with a small cough as they sat up. Lailah was now the one hugging Mikleo, still overwhelmed by happiness.

“You're back, Mikleo,” she said softly. “You pulled through.”

He nodded, resting his chin on her shoulder as he closed his eyes. “I did.”

“Are you still dizzy?” Sorey asked as he watched Mikleo pull away from Lailah. “What about your pain?”

“My body hurts quite a bit. I guess it's stiffened up.” He held a hand to his forehead to rub it. “And I'm a bit dizzy. I think it'll fade.” He bit his lip, still a lot calmer than he had been previously. “It's just my weakness that I'm worried about.” He turned to Lailah, eyes alarmed. “That knife wouldn't have done any permanent damage, would it?”

There was a terrible silence, one which answered that question without any words. “Yes, it is very possible that it would have,” Lailah responded, her voice trembling slightly. “But… But we'll find a way to deal with it. As long as we know your limits, you should be fine.”

Mikleo didn't like that uncertainty, but he was thankful for her saying the truth.

“Plus, you _have_ been unconscious for a month,” Edna spoke up. “So your body is probably weak from that.”

“A _month?”_ he echoed, his eyes wide. He thought it might have been a while from how long he had felt like he was fighting, yet he thought that time had just been progressing slowly in that state.

“Almost,” Sorey said quietly. “Lailah was starting to think we might have had to use Uno's power to go to Heaven and ask for help – he's a water guardian we brought here.” He was able to force a smile, the volume of his voice returning to normal. “But you managed to get through it yourself.”

“Barely,” Mikleo responded, breathing in deeply. “It – it was the worst thing I've ever experienced. I was watching the most distressing moments I've been through over and over. I was starting to wish...” He paused, head lowering slightly. “Starting to wish that I really would die, it was that painful.”

“You're back now,” Sorey said, taking one of Mikleo's hands into his own, which caused the lowered head to rise back up again. “You don't have to go through that again.”

“I hope not. And I hope what you said is true, Edna. About me being this weak now because of how long I was out for. I… I can't stand the thought of not being useful.”

“You'll _always_ be useful,” Sorey said firmly, squeezing the hand in his. “Even if your magic weakens, you're still an anchor for me, you know.” He hesitated, biting onto his lip for a moment. “I – I was getting tempted by malevolence whilst you were unconscious. It kept returning to me, and I kept wanting to kill Maltran after what she had did to you. I… I thought at one point that I really might end up falling.” He smiled, looking into Mikleo's eyes. “But now you're back and I can hear your voice again, I don't really feel that malevolence anymore. It's like you truly bring out the good in me and push away anything evil. So no matter what happens to you physically, you will never be useless, okay?”

Mikleo was silent for a moment, clearly allowing those words to sink in. With adoration filling his eyes, he smiled, not quite able to maintain eye contact as he spoke. “Thank you, Sorey. I'm glad that I can be like that for you.” His expression then turned to one of guilt. “I'm sorry.”

“What are you apologising for?” Sorey asked, genuinely confused. “There's nothing to say sorry about.”

“It's just…” He paused for a moment, hands resting on the bed underneath him clenching into fists. “If I had been stronger, and been more careful in my fight against Maltran, I wouldn't have put you in that situation. I shouldn't be the one causing you to feel malevolent.”

“Mikleo, Maltran had one of the most powerful weapons in existence!” Lailah exclaimed. “You cannot blame yourself for losing. Plus, you saved Alisha!”

“That's true, I just… I guess I feel bad for not being strong enough. And if my magic _is_ damaged, then...” He bit down onto his lip. “I'm definitely not going to have the chance to be stronger again.”

“No, Mikleo, that's not true,” Lailah said firmly. “I am certain you'll still manage to fight, and with your bond, you will likely be able to Armatize with Sorey, too.”

“We already tried. It failed.”

Lailah blinked at Sorey. “You never told me you tried to Armatize.”

“It was my idea,” he explained. “I came up with the idea that if angels can't heal themselves, then maybe if we're in the same body, I'd be able to use that power to heal him. Because it's like two people in one, right?”

She nodded, smiling. “That's a very accurate and correct assumption. Armatized humans can indeed use healing artes to heal both themselves and the angel.”

“But Mikleo,” Edna said to him, causing his eyes to avert to her. “You've got to remember that Lailah is centuries older than you… Sorry, Lailah,” she said quickly, for Lailah had just let out a small 'hmph'. “That means she has a lot more experience than this. So for a human who has only Armatized once and an angel who has _never_ Armatized, it would be near impossible, never mind if one of them is dying. So you two will still likely be able to achieve it.”

“That… That makes sense,” Mikleo said, turning fairly embarrassed over being so in doubt of himself. “Thank you. And I'm sorry about that. I guess all my worries are just piled on top of me at the moment.”

“After all you've been through, it really is understandable,” Sorey said quietly. He leaned over to brush a few strands of hair out of Mikleo's face, smiling gently. “But don't doubt yourself so much, okay? Even the fact that you're alive now shows that you're strong.”

Mikleo nodded, smiling back. “You're right. I need to stop.”

“There's also one other hope with Armatization,” Lailah spoke up, all eyes shifting to her. “I – I have come to realise that an ancient weapon that had been stolen has now been returned. It is a bow, one which is designed to be used by those who wield water. I believe that it would be most useful in Armatization, and would truly bring out your power. If you feel confident enough in yourself for Armatization, then I recommend we go obtain this weapon once you are feeling well enough, perhaps before we return to Heaven.”

“That weapon will let me help Sorey?”

“Most certainly.”

“Then I want us to find it,” he said, turning to Sorey with a smile.

“I'll let Dezel know we'll – oh, Dezel!” she exclaimed suddenly. “I should let him know about this. Give me a moment.”

She closed her eyes and held a couple of fingers to her temple, lips mouthing words silently. Before long, her eyes were opening again, and she smiled at them.

“He'll be here with Alisha and Rose shortly. They both want to see you, Mikleo.”

“Alisha would have a hard time seeing me literally.”

“Oh, she's a Squire, now,” Sorey informed him. “As is Rose.”

His eyes widened. “And – and if Lailah could contact him, then...”

“Yes, Dezel is a Sub Lord,” she finished for him, giggling at his expression.

“Remind me again never to have a month-long nap. I miss out on _everything,_ and I've already lost enough memories to lose out on information, too.” He laughed with the others over those words, but it was soon to faded, the mention of memories reminding him of the last dream he had dealt with. They noticed this change in demeanour instantly, growing concerned.

“You okay?” Sorey asked, resting a hand on Mikleo's knee.

“There's – there's one thing that happened, whilst I was witnessing moments in my life,” Mikleo explained, swallowing in an attempt to stop a tremble in his voice. “It was a memory I hadn't restored. Lunarre was the one who caused my amnesia.”

The hand on Mikleo's leg tightened slightly, though it was quick to relax, as though Sorey was trying to contain any anger. “Lunarre?”

Mikleo nodded. “He stopped me in Purgatory on my way to Earth. As I was off guard, I had no chance to defend myself. He beat me – which is why I was injured when you found me – and then proceeded to wipe my memories. I don't know if I was left on Earth straight after that or if he kept me with him first. It… It was terrifying. I could feel and hear my fear. After going through so much, I wanted to hold onto those memories, yet he...”

His words drifted off, and for a moment, Sorey didn't know what to say. After all, it had been a decent amount of time since Mikleo had shown sadness over his amnesia, considering it had been healing steadily. But there were still many things he didn't know, so of course he'd be effected by seeing how he lost them.

“It's all right,” Sorey said eventually, his voice soft. “You've been remembering things a lot more and you're moving on from that. Try not to dwell on something that's already happened.”

Mikleo nodded. “I'll try not to. It was just hard to watch.”

Another silence fell, only this time, it was interrupted by knocking in the distance as opposed to words. Edna was the one who walked out of the room, returning shortly after with Dezel, Rose and Alisha in tow. Alisha was the one who entered first, the smile which she gave Mikleo beautifully radiant.

“Hey,” he greeted her with.

“I'm so glad that you're awake,” she said, reaching over to the bed to shake his hand. “I'm Alisha Diphda. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

“I'm Mikleo. Right back at you.”

“I want to thank you for helping me back then,” she said, voice sincere. “I'm still in disbelief that Maltran would betray me like this – after all, she has been my mother since I was seven. No, _was_ my mother, up until that day. But knowing that someone out there as courageous as you has helped me pull through. To sacrifice yourself in such a way, even though you've never even met me… I will never forget that for as long as I live.”

“I-It's fine, really,” Mikleo stuttered, slightly taken aback by the praise. But his smile soon returned. “I knew of how good of a person you were and that you mean a lot to Sorey. I was more than ready to save you.”

“And for that, I am unbelievably thankful,” she said, bowing her head.

“Really though, thanks,” Rose continued, Mikleo's eyes turning to her. “You've done a lot for me. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have become a Squire, or accept that loser over there into my life.” She gestured to Dezel with a thumb over her shoulder, smirking over the grumble he made from her doing so. “You're incredible, that's for sure.”

His face now heating up from the excessive praise, his eyes shifted away. “I'm not really, I just did what had to be done.”

He looked up when Sorey had taken his hand again, smiling gently as a kiss was placed onto it.

“No, Mikleo. You're incredible, and I'm going to remind you of that everyday for the rest of your life.”

And he meant it, well and truly. Because what sat in front of him was an angel who had known that he could have been walking straight to death, and he very almost did so. Now he was awake, weakened but alive – if that wasn't a miracle, then nothing else could be called as such.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you all thought I was going to at least harm Lailah, didn't you? It was tempting, but I want Michael to redeem himself a bit.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I'd really appreciate feedback as it was a tough chapter to write - not just because of the length, but because of me wanting to get the scene of Mikleo waking up right. Hopefully I did! 
> 
> Until next time.


	21. Gaining Strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon his awakening, Mikleo begins his gradual recovery, realising the opportunities which lay before him on the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaaaah, there was so much lovely feedback to read through in the last chapter! Thank you so much, I'm really glad that you enjoyed it.
> 
> There's a fairly sexual scene in this chapter because I needed it, they needed it and a few of you probably needed it, too. It has emotional attachments but won't be a bother if you skip it, so don't worry if you do so if you don't want to read it!
> 
> Enjoy!

Even if Mikleo's awakening was seen as a miracle, there was no miracle behind the fact that he was now terrified of sleeping.

He and Sorey knew that angels' needs to survive were different than a human's, and so even though they used sleep as a method when they were feeling fatigued, they did not have to do so as much. However, with his body in a weakened state, he needed to rest.

But he was refusing this rest for several days. Lailah didn't want him to be back on his feet until he had stopped this refusal, yet he still forced himself to try walking three days later. He cursed under his breath as he struggled on shaking legs, one hand holding onto Sorey's arm in order to try and steady himself. He felt so utterly useless like this – what good would he be if he could barely even walk? However, even through his stubborn will to start recovering, he knew that Lailah was right in saying that he needed to give a little more time for his body to get used to the shock of being in such a trapped, torturous state for so long.

It was painful to see Mikleo like this. It was easy to tell from his breathing at night that he wasn't sleeping, even though he was attempting to pretend he was. He had been able to force himself to not sleep for three nights, before on the forth, his body could no longer take it. Sorey wasn't sure if him screaming awake from a nightmare was truly still an after effect of the knife, or if it was Mikleo's anxieties which had caused it to occur. Either way, Mikleo was brought closer to Sorey immediately, a kiss planted on top of his head.

“It's okay,” he murmured. “I'm here.”

Mikleo snuggled up closer to Sorey's chest, his body still trembling. “I'm not going back to sleep,” he said quietly. “But you can, if you want.”

“Mikleo, you have to rest,” he said, gently pushing Mikleo back slightly, eyes adjusted to the night enough to see Mikleo's exhausted ones, prominent dark circles underneath them. “You're not going to get any better if you don't.”

“I can't keep listening to my mother's screams.”

The words struck Sorey right in his chest. He had no idea how to respond for a moment, for how could he force Mikleo to sleep when it was clearly effecting him this much? However, words eventually came to him. It was as though he always had a knowledge of how to comfort him, just as natural as an everyday reflex.

“Just breathe, and try to relax,” Sorey said, brushing Mikleo's hair out of his face, smiling for a moment at how much it was beginning to reach his shoulders. The smile on its own seemed to cause Mikleo's body to settle down from its trembling. “I'm sure that the nightmares will stop as long as you don't focus on them. Try to think of something else, okay?”

There was a moment of hesitation before Mikleo nodded slowly. “Can you kiss me?” he asked quietly. “That'll help.”

Sorey smiled. “Of course,” he replied, more than happy to oblige to that. He wrapped his arm around Mikleo's waist to bring him closer, the thumb of his other hand trailing lightly over Mikleo's lips for a moment before holding his chin, Sorey tilting his head to meet his lips. Mikleo's body seemed to melt under the contact, hands only able to rest on Sorey's chest lightly through his exhaustion. It was this which he had been missing for so long during his period of unconsciousness – this perfect, protective hold which made him feel as though nothing could bring either of them down.

He parted with tender eyes locking on Sorey's afterwards, smiling weakly. “Thank you,” he said quietly, resting his head back onto Sorey's chest. It only took mere minutes for Sorey to be able to tell from his body and steady breathing that he was now asleep. He waited for a while to make sure nothing else happened, though accepted it'd be fine half an hour later. He sighed at the time being 5:00; at this hour, he was sure that Mikleo wouldn't be getting much more sleep, though at least it was a day off work today, so he would be able to stay at home to watch over him.

Hours later, he was waking up again, finding that Mikleo was already sat on the edge of the bed. Blurred eyes glanced at the time and blinked, seeing it was now 9:00. He sat up, hugging Mikeo so his torso was pressed against his back, placing a lingering kiss on his shoulder.

“How did you sleep?”

“I've … been awake for a while,” Mikleo admitted. “I only slept for about a couple more hours. I just didn't scream or anything and let you stayed asleep.”

Sorey frowned, pulling Mikleo slightly closer to him. “You should have woken me up.”

“It's fine, I wanted you to sleep.”

Still, when they parted away from each other, Sorey could easily see in those eyes that he wasn't fine. He brought Mikleo to him again, needing to kiss him. After all, seeing Mikleo suffer made him notice the small amount of malevolence which still brimmed underneath the surface, and those lips seemed to be the thing which grounded him the most.

“Are the nightmares like you had when you were unconscious?” Sorey asked, rubbing a thumb along Mikleo's cheek. He shook his head.

“No, that was a lot worse. It's more like it was before then, only a bit more frequent.”

“Well, at least if they're not the same as that, they should get better,” Sorey said, smiling.

“Hopefully so.” He yawned, and Sorey would have loved how adorable it was if it hadn't been caused by intense fatigue. Sorey rested his forehead against Mikleo's, closing his eyes.

He didn't know what words to say, for he knew that such consistent nightmares weren't something which he could understand properly himself. But the touch was enough; it clearly soothed Mikleo, bringing a smile to his face, seeming to cause him to feel more relaxed. Yet Sorey didn't calm very much himself from this; after all, physical things were something which he could protect Mikleo from. He couldn't protect Mikleo from something psychological in his sleep.

Though when he thought about it, he hadn't protected Mikleo from anything physical, either. On the night he had been attacked by hellions, it was really Lailah who had been the reason Mikleo survived. Sorey hadn't been able to protect him properly from them, and he certainly hadn't with Maltran. If anything, it was Mikleo who had to be given credit for protecting others physically. For healing Sorey over and over, for protecting Lailah from Lunarre and Symonne, from saving Alisha, even if it had now left him damaged…

Aside from giving him emotional support, what had Sorey really done?

“Are you okay?” Mikleo said, backing away slightly to look at Sorey's face properly, eyes expressing concern.

“I've never protected you,” he said quietly. “Even though I said I would. Thanks to me, you almost died. I should have thought of a way around it.”

“You have, Sorey,” Mikleo insisted. “When we've fought together, you've always backed me up. You've helped Lailah with my injuries, took care of me whilst I was asleep. Plus, you've done more good for me mentally than you think. How on Earth haven't you protected me?”

“It's not enough. I've never protected you when it matters most.”

“There was no chance of you being able to protect me when it came to Maltran,” Mikleo persuaded him. “Trust me, I was _happy_ that you let me go. I was the only one who could save her and I wanted to do so. I'm glad you didn't hold me back.”

“Still –”

“Still _nothing,_ Sorey,” he said firmly. “Being this insecure doesn't suit you, you know.”

“Sorry, I just…”

“I know, I get it. Still, you don't have to worry about it so much.” He placed a hand on Sorey's thigh, squeezing it gently. “I'm fine.”

The words were meant to be comforting, yet they had a reverse effect on Sorey. No, Mikleo _wasn't_ fine. He was damaged. He was terrified of sleeping at night. There was no telling how much he would be able to recover his magic. All because of a broken promise.

“ _Don't ever leave my side, Mikleo. I can't let you get hurt again. I_ won't.”

But Mikleo had left his side, had gotten hurt again. What use were protective words if they never actually came into play?

In a sudden moment, he was cupping Mikleo's face with his hands, bringing him in for a kiss. His eyes widened from surprise for a moment, but they were soon to close as he kissed back, yet he noticed how something felt different as he rested one hand on Sorey's. It was the same kind of passion he had felt outside of Maltran's home, a passion fuelled by Sorey's intense emotions. He pulled apart quicker than he did that day, however, eyes filled with the same intensity as his emotion, so much so that Mikleo found himself a little taken aback. The hands on his face were soon lowering down onto Mikleo's shoulders, and in the next moment, he found himself pushed down onto the bed, staring up at Sorey leaning over him with his legs either side of his body.

“Sorey?”

“I've failed you more than I wanted to,” he said quietly. “Ever since I saw you unconscious that day, the first ever angel I remembered seeing, I felt like there was something I needed to protect. I mean, I wouldn't just carry anyone to my house.” He paused for a moment, Mikleo staying silent as he waited for him to continue. “And … and no matter what you say, I still think I've not done enough.” He leaned further forward, so that their heads were closer to each other, enough to hear each other's breathing. “That changes from now on.”

There was no time for any words to be said in response; Sorey's lips were soon pressed against his again, a hand burying into his hair, fingers tangling in the strands. Mikleo's arms were soon wrapping around his neck in response to bring him closer, and as soon as he did so, there was a reaction from Sorey immediately; a tongue was soon trailing along his bottom lip, and Mikleo obliged its entrance instantly by opening his mouth, letting out a muffled moan. He hadn't been granted enough of his taste, not with his unconsciousness; every time they kissed now, it felt as though it was filling a part of him which was missing.

He was slightly breathless when Sorey parted, eyes opening for a moment to look at him, but his head was soon moving to the side of Mikleo's neck, placing a soft kiss below his ear before they left a slightly rougher trail down his neck, a small smile appearing on Sorey's face from the gasp he had received. This gasp was replaced with a small, held back whimper once his teeth had grazed lightly over his collar bone, which caused Sorey's head to rise to look at him. One of his arms had removed itself from Sorey's neck by now and was covering his mouth, his face flushed red.

“Are you embarrassed?” Sorey asked gently.

“N-No...” Mikleo mumbled, eyes shifting to one side. They returned to Sorey when a light kiss was pressed against his lips, Sorey's eyes filled with adoration.

“It's fine to make noises like that, you know,” he teased, laughing when Mikleo pouted.

“I know that.”

“Good, because it's cute. Can I carry on?”

Mikleo nodded, one hand now grasping the sheets by his head, the other hovering above his mouth. His eyes squeezed shut as Sorey's lips returned to his collarbone, his body shuddering from the sensation which ran through him, his breathing growing shallower. He was soon sucking down on the skin, another gasp leaving Mikleo, and parted away with teeth biting lightly on the skin.

“I just wanted to leave something there,” he said, smiling at the small mark on his collarbone. “Because those are the only kind of marks I want on you from now on.”

Mikleo's head turned away from those words, his mumble barely able to be picked up on. “Same here.”

The grin on Sorey's face grew from those two words, placing a kiss against Mikleo's cheek before he ran a finger down Mikleo's chest. “Can I take this off?”

He nodded slowly, sitting up a little so that he could raise his arms up, Sorey grabbing the bottom of the loose T-shirt he was wearing and lifting it up over his arms, placing it down to one side. He was soon pushing Mikleo back down gently, pain hitting his chest over seeing the bandages wrapped around his torso. Lailah still had not felt brave enough to have removed them. But it soon faded when he looked back at Mikleo's face, whose eyes had cast to the side again with the back of his hand covering his mouth again.

“Can I ask you something?” Sorey asked quietly, stroking a hand along the defined shape of Mikleo's waist, feeling the body shiver slightly from beneath the touch. Mikleo nodded, immediately bringing his eyes back to Sorey. “Am I the first person who has had you like this?”

Mikleo blinked. He cleared his throat and looked to the side again. “W-Well, yeah. I … I never fell for anyone else, and I wouldn't have done this once becoming an angel.”

“That's good.” The words made Mikleo look back at him, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “I… I like the thought that it's only ever been me. I don't want anyone else to have you.”

Mikleo removed his hand from his mouth to smile, reaching up to stroke his hand along Sorey's cheek. “I understand. It'll only ever be you.”

Sorey smiled back, his lips returning to Mikleo's once again, hands now roaming across his torso, Mikleo's body squirming slightly in response, his wings twitching. It caused Sorey to deepen the kiss quickly, tongue exploring his mouth as his fingers trailed lightly over one of Mikleo's nipples, a muffled whimper escaping him. Sorey parted away with a grin, wanting to return to his neck. After feeling Mikleo shudder from the lingering kiss placed down on it, he spoke with a teasing tone.

“Someone's sensitive here.” He then ran his fingers over the other nipple, Mikleo's body jerking slightly in response. “And here. Are you sensitive everywhere, love?”

“Sh-Shut it.”

“Awh, don't be like that,” Sorey chuckled lightly, pressing another kiss on Mikleo's neck. “It's adorable. Plus...” He placed another kiss further down his neck, this time sucking on the skin slightly. “I don't like seeing you vulnerable anywhere else, but here, I can get used to that.”

He didn't receive a response to those words, only Mikleo looking away with embarrassment, smile tugging at his lips. But he didn't need a verbal reply regardless.

Encouraged by positive reactions, he was soon trailing more kisses down Mikleo's torso, one hand now trailing behind him – first stroking down his back softly, but then squeezing at his backside in time with his lips lowering down to Mikleo's chest.

“Is this okay?” Sorey asked, lifting his head for a moment.

“Y-Yeah, it's fine.”

Sorey smiled at the confirmation, transforming into more of a smirk once he received a moan from him squeezing again, his lips returning to the skin beneath him. A feeling of satisfaction came to him from only arising more of these adorable noises from Mikleo once his tongue trailed over one of his nipples. But with the wave of protectiveness which had led to his, Sorey could quickly feel himself becoming more desperate for more than just this. He needed to feel that even after everything, he was still here.

And so, he met Mikleo's wide eyes when his hands reached for the waistband of the sweatpants Mikleo was wearing, fingers stroking softly on the skin above them.

“What about this?” Mikleo nodded, but the small pause beforehand made Sorey uncertain. “Are you sure?”

“Y-Yeah, I just...” He laughed softly, nervousness evident in it. “I'm not used to it.”

“We'll take it slowly, then we can stop if it goes too far, okay?”

“Okay.”

However, just as Sorey's hands began to steadily pull down Mikleo's trousers, there was the distant sound of a door opening which caused his hands to back away immediately. Mikleo looked horrified, the likes of which might have been amusing if Sorey wasn't panicking himself.

“ _Edna, we can't just waltz on in here!”_

“ _But we know the password.”_

“ _Well yes, but still!”_

“ _Meebo's probably sleeping, don't worry about it.”_

Sorey had just leaped up off Mikleo, who was now fumbling with a shirt and twisting it around so he wouldn't pull it on back to front, when Edna opened the door.

“How's he doing?” she asked immediately, though her movements stopped instantly when she saw Sorey perching awkwardly on the end of the bed, with Mikleo halfway through getting his T-shirt on.

“Edna, why are you blocking the doorway?” Lailah asked, peering around the door. Her eyes widened. _“Oh!”_

“We – we've not … done anything, I swear,” Mikleo babbled once his shirt was on, his appearance betraying him.

“Meebo, you have hickies on your neck and collarbone.”

“ _Sorey!”_ he exclaimed, Sorey now unable to stop himself from chuckling into his hand, embarrassed but mostly amused from Edna's blunt statement. “You should have done them further down!”

“Like where?” Edna questioned, cocking her head to one side. “On your hips?”

“N-No!” Mikleo exclaimed, though what made his face burn the most was from Sorey's glance at him for a moment, eyes expressing that he very much liked that idea. And of course, Edna missed nothing.

“Hm. No indeed.”

“Come on Edna, don't embarrass him too much,” Lailah laughed. “So I take it you're feeling better?”

“Um, I still can't really walk that well.”

“From Sorey?”

“ _NO!_ It didn't just take that much energy from me for Sorey to...”

His words drifted off, and he was soon burying his head into his pillow, letting out a groan. Sorey laughed, rubbing his back lightly.

“Come on, it's okay.”

“It is, Meebo,” Edna said. “After all, I did say you would bottom. I under-”

She was interrupted by the other pillow being thrown right into her face, now causing Lailah to be the one who was giggling uncontrollably.

“Good aim,” she commented. “I can't help but feel like you must at least be improving somewhat if you can throw like that.”

“I'm pretty distracted right now,” Mikleo said, finally sitting back up. “I think that helps.”

“Well, if distracting helps, we are fine to take our leave so you two can –”

“No way. You ruined the moment.”

“You can stay for breakfast, if you like,” Sorey suggested.

“Ooh, I'll make it!” Lailah exclaimed, hurrying out of the room. Edna hesitated to speak before following her.

“Don't be too loud,” she commented, leaving quickly as though she feared something else being thrown at her.

“I'm going to kill her,” Mikleo muttered, glaring when Sorey laughed.

“Come on, don't resort to murder.” His expression softened, placing a light kiss against Mikeo's lips. “Sorry that happened.”

“It's not your fault. Besides...” Mikleo paused for a moment, a smile returning to his face, slightly shy. “I… I enjoyed that. It made me feel safe. It doesn't matter if we were interrupted.”

Sorey brushed back Mikleo's hair as he placed a kiss on his head. “That's how I always want to make you feel.”

Not only had he made Mikleo feel safe, but he was also smiling more than he had done since he had awakened. Even with everything going on around them, moments together allowed them to escape from that harsh reality, and they would embrace that with everything they had.

 

* * *

 

 

To everyone's relief, Mikleo's body seemed to steadily be regaining its energy over the following couple of weeks.

Even though he still feared sleeping and was sometimes effected by nightmares, both had reduced and allowed his body to rest properly at night, finding comfort in sleeping with his head resting against Sorey's chest as he slept, hands placed by it whilst his wings instinctively wrapped around the two of them. He doubted that he would have been able to sleep at all if he didn't do so with Sorey. It made him realise that even though they had worries for the future, them choosing to embrace their love definitely had a huge list of benefits.

This included their intimacy, for even though Mikleo had stated he wasn't ready to go the full way and Sorey had respected this entirely, it brought them closer than their old moments together. It continued to allow Mikleo to feel safe and for Sorey, after his intense disappointment over himself, to feel as though he was able to protect him. The beautiful, petite body he was able to touch, each and every electrifying moment – it was so much more than just lust. It was passion, it was trust, it was the intense love that they shared and were now both wanting to protect with everything they had.

The first of this two weeks of recovery allowed Mikleo to be back on his feet more so than before, when he had forced himself to be so. His legs still trembled beneath him when he was walking, his weakness and sense of being light-headed causing him to have to rest before long, but his pain from his muscles stiffening up was at least reducing, and he still had more energy than before. He even asked if he would be able to cook for him and Sorey one night, saying that he missed doing so after so long. Sorey placed his hands on Mikleo's waist as he did so, feathers tickling his body as he leaned his head on Mikleo's shoulder. It was strange to think that not very long ago, he was dreading that Mikleo would pass away. Now he was here, doing what he loved once again. It was hardly believable.

When two weeks had passed, he felt well enough to even make enough food for the others to join – each angel of their pact, as well as Alisha and Rose. It was a shame that Zaveid was still caught up in his own business elsewhere, but the time together still felt special. It was like they were celebrating how far they had come. Among all of the worry over Mikleo, it had been hard to feel cheerful over the joining of the Squires and Dezel, but now he was awake and even well enough to cook for them, it was easy to feel cheerful over where they were. Yes, their enemies may have had the upper hand. But with the stage they were at now, the situation seemed much less negative.

After they had eaten, they were basking in his happiness, finally feeling positive after everything which had happened.

“We'll be able to go to Heaven now we have all elements,” Lailah said, clapping her hands together. “And we even have two lovely Squires!”

“Hopefully we get the chance to Armatize,” Rose said, a dreamy look in her eyes. “That'd be _so_ cool.”

“Be careful with that,” Dezel muttered, perched on the arm of the sofa she was sitting on. “It's dangerous.”

“What's life without a little risk?”

“A _little,_ yes. But not enough so you're near death.”

“Don't be such a downer!”

“Then there's our move to Lastonbell,” Alisha decided on saying, feeling amused by the squabbling but deciding it should stop before it escalated. “I'm most looking forward to that.”

“Will you be okay for that?” Sorey asked Mikleo, looking slightly concerned. “I mean, it's only a week from now.”

“It'll be fine. I'm doing much better now.” He conjured a little ice in his hand, shaping it into the symbol of the Shepherd. “See? I might still be trying to recover my power, but I can still use it a little without effects.”

“If you're feeling well enough, I think it might actually be a good idea to go retrieve the Divine Artefact and visit Heaven before the move,” Lailah spoke up. Edna, who was standing besides her, was looking a little sceptical.

“That seems like a lot for him to deal with.”

“Don't worry, it's fine!” Rose exclaimed. “The bow thing is, anyway. I wanted to ask about some things, and Lailah thought it'd be a good idea for us to kill two birds with one stone by heading down to the ruins under Ladylake to see if there's many hellions. It's pretty scarce!”

“Things working in our favour?” Mikleo asked, raising an eyebrow. “That doesn't seem real.”

The others laughed, though Sorey's own laughter was soon to fade. “Are you sure that won't be too much?”

“I'll let you know if it is. But we do really need to make the most of the peace we currently have.”

Sorey nodded. “As long as you're sure.”

“Come on, I wouldn't lie to you about that,” Mikleo said, smiling with a little amusement, causing Sorey to be able to smile, too.

“Then how about we go retrieve it tomorrow?” Lailah suggested. She received confirmations of agreement for this, Mikleo feeling himself grow a little happier and less lost with himself. Even if he and Sorey couldn't manage Armatization for the time being, at least they had this ready. Not to mention that it would show how much Mikleo had recovered, and if the ruins really were not taken over very much by hellions, it'd give him a chance to see what his current limits were.

Of course, the knowledge of his weakened state was definitely something which was bringing him down. But he couldn't bask in that depression and fall victim to hopelessness. What he needed to do now was do whatever it took to bring him back up as high as possible.

He knew he could remain strong with Sorey by his side, and from how the other was now clearly successful in pushing the malevolence he had been tainted by back, he also knew that it was the exact same for Sorey, too.

 

* * *

 

 

With a desire to go through with their retrieval as soon as possible, Sorey and Mikleo left the apartment the following morning and met with the others at a secluded alley of Ladylake, where Lailah had confirmed that there was an entrance hidden under a grate, which would lead them to waterways below.

Sorey had made sure to drive nearby to there, wanting to ensure that Mikleo wasn't walking too much despite the fact that he said he was up for it. He was certain that he wasn't being lied to from that statement, but there was a possibility that Mikleo wasn't yet sure of his limits. Whilst Lailah had said that the bandages could now finally be removed, his face still gave the appearance of one who was suffering from illness, and Sorey was concerned that he would push himself a little too far.

He took Mikleo's hand once they left the car, partly so Mikleo had someone to hold onto, but it was also because Sorey wanted to feel the warmth of their palms together.

“There you are,” Lailah smiled, who had already removed the grate without a second thought. Sorey couldn't help but be amused by this.

“You're vandalising in front of a police officer.”

Lailah laughed. “Are you going to arrest me?”

“Save that for Meebo,” Edna commented, before pressing her wings against her back and dropping through the grate without another word. They could just hear the soft landing of her thick boots. “Come on, it's not that much of a drop,” she called, voice echoing. Alisha, who had seemed a little bothered by the thought of this, visibly relaxed and followed Edna inside, Rose and Dezel joining them straight after.

“After you,” Lailah said, gesturing for them to go first. “I'll close it up after you.”

Sorey nodded, turning to Mikleo for a moment and taking a glance at Mikleo's legs, which were still thin from lack of nourishment. “Use your wings to soften your fall and I'll catch you, okay?”

“Wow, that's sappy,” Mikleo said, rolling his eyes, but his small smile said that he understood. Sorey dropped through the grate, landing on the balls of his feet, before straightening up and raising his head. He caught Mikleo under his arms, placing him down in front with a smile.

“Even light when you're falling.”

“Shut it, you.”

They looked back up with the others when the light which had been escaping through the entrance was now filtering through the grate, which Lailah was hovering in the air to fix back into place after them.

“How are we supposed to get back up?” Edna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“There's another entrance,” Lailah answered as she landed down besides them. “This one was just closer to where all of us were staying. Now, I've pin-pointed the bow's location, but if we just…”

Her words faded off as she watched Sorey and Mikleo begin to inspect the waterways near them, their eyes going down to where it was reaching. Alisha let out a giggle when she saw them continue to stare in fixation, now at the walls, which were clearly old.

“This place is _amazing!”_ Sorey breathed out.

“How old you reckon this place is?”

“Must be centuries, I mean, just look at it all…”

“Who knew that architecture like this existed right under our noses?”

“I know, right?! I always wondered where the water displays led to, I never expected it'd be somewhere like this...”

“If you're done freaking out like weirdos,” Dezel piped up, “I think we should get going.”

“Awh, they look so disappointed!” Rose laughed. “Don't worry, there's going to be more than this.”

“There is,” Lailah said, nodding her head. “It's a truly lovely place.”

“Come on then, nerds,” Edna said, rolling her eyes when she saw that Alisha was now also staring in wonder around her, apparently appreciating the beauty just as much as Sorey and Mikleo had done.

Luck was on their side during their tread through the underground ruins; Lailah had indeed been correct in what she had said about the scarce amount of hellions which exist above ground also applying to down here. They _did_ have to fend off a few, but with such a large group, it was no problem at all. However, Sorey took note of how using a few water artes had made Mikleo's breath seem to deepen, even if he was trying to conceal it. After Sorey put his sword away into its holster, Mikleo grumbled about how he was fine as he clambered onto Sorey's back, putting his arms around him and holding on a little tighter for a moment as they rose from the ground.

“You okay up there?” Sorey asked.

“Yeah,” Mikleo responded, deciding to take the opportunity to rest his head on Sorey's shoulder. Whilst Edna's reaction was to roll her eyes, Rose was quite the opposite; she nudged Alisha with her elbow, grinning widely.

“They're even more gay than we are.”

Alisha laughed softly. “I think we're good as we are.”

“Yeah, maybe you don't want a love bite on _your_ neck,” Rose continued, laughing as Alisha hit her arm, a faint blush on her cheeks.

“You told me make-up hid that well,” Mikleo mumbled, head moving so his face was hidden in the shoulder it had been leaning on.

“Well, it does, but I think they still noticed.”

“Even Dezel could notice, and he's blind,” Edna commented. Lailah scolded her, but Mikleo didn't have to rise his head to hear her amusement.

A couple of more centipede hellions were soon attempting to attack them, but even with Sorey and Mikleo on the sidelines, they were still fended off easily. Their walking eventually took them deeper down into the ruins, walkways steadily becoming darker, until they finally came across a cavern minutes later.

The bow illuminated the darkness of the room, a beautiful blue hue radiating from it. Sorey placed Mikleo down gently, everyone allowing him the chance to walk over to it, running a hand over its handle for a moment. His eyes took in every single part of its intricate design, and even though he could tell that this was an ancient artefact, it felt as though it was perfectly made for him.

“Take it, then,” Dezel eventually said, receiving a small push from Lailah, who had pouted and clearly hadn't wanted to interrupt Mikleo's moment. However, the words seemed to snap him out of his trance, and his hand finally grabbed the bow's handle instead of merely run across it.

It was hardly a surprise to hear the flapping of wings above them; all had suspected something would happen, and Mikleo was immediately shooting illuminated bows into the air at bat hellions which were now screeching, swooping down towards them in attempt to scratch their bodies. Out of the corner of his eye, Mikleo saw that other centipedes were now making their way towards them.

“Edna, behind you!”

She responded immediately, jumping forward as she swung her umbrella. “ _Hailing Downpour!”_

There was barely a moment upon casting her arte that she started aiming for another, Alisha assisting with a spear which Lailah had gifted to her following her Squire's pact. Whilst everyone felt as though their power was more than enough to take on these hellions, Sorey was still feeling concern for how much Mikleo was attacking, placing a hand onto his arm.

“Be careful,” he told him firmly. “You've not long started recovering.”

Mikleo opened his mouth, as though to argue, but he could feel his head spinning. Sorey could see this dazed look in his eye, and he immediately stayed composed as he turned to the side. “Lailah!”

It only took a single glance at Sorey's arm now wrapping around Mikleo that made her know what he was asking of her. She hurried over as Sorey eased Mikleo over to one side, gently pushing down onto his shoulders so he was now sitting, breathing heavily with sweat beginning to bead on his forehead, his bow now disappearing from his hand. Lailah was immediately by his side, murmuring about how he had been able to come far with all things considered, and held out a talisman in front of them in preparation.

Meanwhile Edna, who had noticed that Dezel had had to step in to help Alisha and Rose, was now jogging over to Sorey, a determined look in her eyes.

“We might have faced stronger,” she said, “but I am worried about how those two are still inexperienced, and how Meebo isn't at his best.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Armatize with me. My artes aren't the strongest against these, but it'll at least be stronger than my power on its own.”

Sorey nodded, feeling confident about doing as such now he knew why his Armatization with Mikleo hadn't gone well. He stepped back as he closed his eyes, focusing himself on the familiar bond which tied him to Edna. The world became dark, a light shining in the distance, feeling the same peace as he had the last time –

“ _Now!”_ Edna shouted in his head, before they both exclaimed simultaneously, _“Hephsin Yulind!”_

A bright light cast around Sorey, his mind coming back to the present. His eyes opened slowly, seeing that his outfit and hair had changed similar to how it was done previously, as were the wings with yellow tips now spreading out from his back, though now there were incredible, large fists following his arms.

“ _This_ is your weapon?” Sorey asked with wide eyes. “Awesome!”

“ _The hellions, you moron!”_

“Oh, right!”

Mikleo was rolling his eyes whilst he was watching Sorey, but he was just as breathless as when Sorey had Armatized with Lailah – he wasn't the only one, either, for Rose and Alisha were staring in awe, too. It was incredible seeing Sorey with these wings, with all of this power; he slammed one of the gigantic fists into the ground, Alisha, Rose and Dezel leaping to the side as the ground below cracked, causing the hellions to fall. He was jumping at them in an instant, throwing punches at their bodies. Even with Edna's words about her artes, these hellions were still too weak against them; the others merely had to deal with stray bats whilst Sorey and Edna fought the last of the larger hellions, soon leaving them in a quietness only broken by their panting. Soon, Sorey and Edna had cast a healing circle around them to assist with all of their injuries, which had all been minor, before they broke apart. After she was certain Mikleo was all right to be on his feet, she was hurrying over to Sorey, holding onto his shoulder.

“Are you all right?” she asked. “You don't feel faint this time, do you?”

He shook his head. “No, I'm fine. I think I'm getting used to it.”

“That was _awesome!”_ Rose exclaimed excitedly. “You had wings! Will Alisha and I seriously be able to do that?”

“Oh, that _would_ be incredible,” Alisha added, letting out a sigh.

“We'll have to see; Armatization can be very tough on the human body,” Lailah explained. She turned back to Sorey, smiling. “I'm very proud of you for getting this far.”

“Hey, it wasn't just him, you know,” Edna said. “I've not Armatized as much as you have. At least give me some of the credit.”

“All right, all right,” she laughed softly. “You did great, too.”

“We all did,” Sorey smiled. “It went so smoothly.”

He was soon looking at Mikeo, however, who started to make his way over, still with a slightly dazed look in his eye.

“You all right?” Sorey asked as Mikleo held onto his shoulder, body swaying slightly.

“Yeah, I'm just worn out.”

“Come on, I'll carry you again.”

“You know, I'm starting to think he wants every excuse to carry him,” Dezel commented as he watched Sorey lower down to allow Mikleo to climb onto his back with ease.

“I'm right with you with that one,” Rose grinned.

“I'll pretend I'm not listening,” Mikleo responded, now being lifted up from the ground. “Well, we've done it. When do you reckon Sorey and I will be fine to Armatize, Lailah?”

“I can't be certain,” she responded truthfully. “But we have it here just in case.”

“How _did_ you know it was here, anyway?” Sorey asked as the group began to ascend the staircase which had led down to the chamber. He sighed as Lailah simply whistled, eyes casting up to the ceiling. “I guess I'm not getting an answer for that one.”

“It's a good question, though,” Edna said thoughtfully. “I thought it was one of the artefacts which had been stolen?”

“Oh, it had been,” Lailah said.

“So how did it get back?”

“Alisha, your blouse is very pretty.”

“Huh?” she blinked, glancing down at the pink material of a short-sleeved summer blouse. “Um, thank you?”

“I guess you're not used to Lailah's random o'clock yet, huh?” Sorey asked, chuckling when Alisha and Rose shook their heads immediately.

“Not quite,” Alisha replied.

“But I guess it just makes Lailah more loveable!” Rose added.

As they were speaking, they were soon making their way closer to the second exit from the ruins. This one was an entrance which had been bordered up by fallen rocks, which Lailah said led out to forestry outside.

“Right, I'll do this,” Edna said, stepping forward with a smirk on her face, eyes glancing to Mikleo for a moment. “Now, some angels can do more than just cast cute little bubbles. Some of us can break rocks, while the meek and pitiful Meebo cannot.”

“Oh God, can you just _stop_ teasing me?” Mikleo groaned, watching as she stamped one boot onto the ground, causing the rocks to shatter instantly. He was ignored as they stepped outside, Edna now bringing down more rocks to replace those that had been shattered, stopping humans from potentially wandering into a dangerous area.

“Well, that's that task done!” Lailah said happily, clapping her hands together. She watched as Mikleo climbed down back onto the floor, holding onto Sorey's arm for a moment. “How are you feeling now, Mikleo?”

“I'm getting there,” he said, breathing out deeply. “I guess I need a bit more time to recover.”

“How will you be about the whole Heaven thing?” Sorey asked, sounding concerned. Mikleo smiled at him reassuringly.

“Just give me time to rest today, and I'll be able to do it tomorrow.”

“So, about that whole thing going on, there,” Rose piped up, sounding hopeful. “Can Alisha and I tag along, too?”

“I'm afraid I don't want to put you through that so early on in your pacts,” Lailah told them, sounding guilty.

“That's understandable,” Alisha responded, turning to Rose. “Right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Dezel took note of her tone instantly. “You're not permitted to see them there,” he said quietly. “It wouldn't do you any good mentally.”

“Right, I should have guessed,” Rose said, her voice returning to normal as she laughed awkwardly. “Sorry about that.”

The group soon began to make their way from the area; Alisha and Rose returning to their home with Dezel, Lailah and Edna heading to the church, whilst Sorey and Mikleo headed home. Sorey pressed a kiss to the side of Mikleo's head as they got out of the car.

“You were quiet during that journey,” he said. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Mikleo answered, before he chuckled. “You do realise that people _still_ can't see me, right?”

“I forget sometimes,” he said with a shrug as they ascended the stairs to the apartment, a sudden grin appearing on his face as he patted Mikleo's backside. “And it's a good thing, as no one sees that I'm doing that to someone.”

“Because patting air is _so_ much better,” Mikleo said sarcastically as he began to type the password in, which caused Sorey to laugh.

“Okay, that's a good point.”

Once they were inside, sitting down on the sofa with glasses of water, Mikleo spoke up again, his voice a little quieter than it had been previously.

“When you asked if I was okay,” he started, “I didn't lie by saying I was fine. But there _was_ something playing on my mind.”

A hand went to Mikleo's thigh, stroking it gently in circular motions. “What's that?”

“With this visit to Heaven, I'm feeling pretty conflicted,” he explained. “One thing, I could be told that my memories can't ever be cured completely. But then… There could be the opposite. I could also be told that they'll be restored.”

“That's not a bad thing, though.”

“I know it isn't. It's just… It's crazy to imagine, you know? It's been months of me not being able to remember anything properly as an angel before I met you, apart from what I dreamt about Lunarre. It's … hard to believe, I guess.”

“I hope they can be restored,” Sorey said softly. “Then you'll be able to remember the friends you made once becoming an angel.”

Mikleo nodded, a smile reaching his face. He stroked Sorey's face with one hand, feeling as though his heart could skip a beat from looking into his eyes.

“Even if I don't remember them, I still have an angel right here,” he said quietly, just a slight blush deepening on his cheeks, as though he was embarrassed to say it, yet still wanting to do so.

“I think you're the angel here,” Sorey laughed. It quietened when Mikleo shuffled closer.

“No, you're definitely one too.” He brushed his lips against Sorey's, smiling into the kiss as hands on his waist brought him closer. It was strange that even with the numerous thoughts running through his mind about the following day, the taste of Sorey's lips could always bring him hope.

 

* * *

 

 

A large amount of anxiety began to build up the following morning, for the exact same reasons which had been confessed the previous night. After waking up, Sorey and Mikleo had taken a moment to simply cuddle in bed to try to ease both of their nerves. The nervousness Sorey had felt was all directed for Mikleo rather than for anything else, even the fact that he'd be crossing worlds – all he cared about was what would happen in regards to Mikleo's lasting troubles with his memories.

They decided on performing the ritual in Sorey's home. Firstly, it was because they thought that it would feel more comfortable to do so in a quiet, familiar environment. But the most important reason was of the home being protected, meaning that there was no chance of being interrupted.

Dezel assisted Sorey with moving furniture to one side to give Lailah more room to place six candles on the floor; one by where Sorey and each angel would be sitting, with the last in the middle of this circle.

“If you would both care to sit down,” Lailah instructed, “we can start. Don't worry about who you sit by; it won't matter.”

Sorey, of course, took this opportunity to sit down by Mikleo's left, Edna already sitting on his right. He squeezed his knee, smiling with what he hoped was reassurance. It seemed to work; Mikleo smiled back, the tension Sorey had noticed in his body reducing. Lailah then proceeded to sit herself down by Edna, Dezel doing the same by Sorey.

“I must ask you not to say anything during this incantation,” Lailah said. “Just leave this to me. I may seem to become weak if I end up using a lot of power, but I'll be fine, so please don't interrupt regardless of that.”

The others nodded to show their understanding, knowing full well that Lailah wasn't the type to delve into something which would endanger her greatly.

“Take each other's hands and close your eyes, and then it shall begin.”

They followed her instructions, and during the moments of silence which had fell upon doing so, they could already feel some kind of sensation begin to fill inside them. Their eyes remained closed, their bodies still once Lailah began to speak.

“I, Fethmus Mioma, the guardian angel of Ladylake, call upon the ancient power of angels and ask that we borrow its greatness,” she began, a small breeze seeming to form around her as soon as this sentence had been spoken. “Allow us to return to the world in which we once called home. Listen to our prayers, and sense the power we had been given in order to fulfil our duties. First, the Shepherd,” Sorey could hear the candle in front of him light, feel its heat, yet still didn't open his eyes, “who has been chosen by fate in order to lead us. Wind,” she continued, Dezel remaining as still as Sorey when the candle in front of him lit, “which protects the world from the wickedest of storms, and aids the oxygen we breathe. Water, which gives us the fluids we need in order to survive, and blesses all things holy. Fire, which brings us warmth and food, as well as light our paths. And at last, earth, which fertilizes our soil, and gifts us with the beauty of nature. Together, they will respectfully rival that of the legend of the Five Lords, and create the fifth and final element. Spirit,” the candle in the middle of their circle was lit at last, and by now, Lailah's voice appeared to be struggling slightly, “which is what gives us our souls, and grants us with the wonder of love.

“Please, heed our word, and allow us to pass through what has been guarded in order to bring the greater good. Grant us the ability to cross through to our protected home.”

A silence made the others assume that she had finished, yet they all remained how they were, not wanting to interrupt what had been done simply because of their curiosity to if it had or hadn't worked. It was merely just heart-pounding seconds, but those seconds felt much longer during their tension.

However, the moments were soon to pass, and they each began to feel a strange, dreamlike sensation build up inside them, as though they were falling into a world of utter peace. It was almost like death, though of course, Sorey wouldn't understand this like the others. This airiness was tantamount to floating silently and calmly in a dream of nothingness, merely appreciating all of which was around them.

Then, almost exactly at the same time as each other, they felt as though they could open their eyes. And upon doing so, they saw a world far more beautiful than anything which could exist on Earth.

The sky seemed unbelievably blue, so much so that it was hard to believe that this could possibly be real. Pure white clouds were a contrast to this brightness, and reaching them were tall mountains, the tips of which were filled with grass of an emerald-green. This grass stretched below their feet, reaching a beautiful, seemingly endless landscape. Laid directly in front of them was an archway leading to what appeared to be a small village, the likes of which were unlike any kind of place Sorey had ever seen.

“Elysia,” Mikleo ended up murmuring softly. Lailah turned to him, a smile on her face.

“That's right,” she said, eyes diverting back to the village in front of him. “One of the most peaceful homes of angels in Heaven. This is where you had been brought upon your reincarnation. Come, we must find Zenrus.”

Edna and Dezel were quick to follow, having already been used to Heaven, but Sorey and Mikleo were hesitating; the first because he had never been somewhere so beautiful, the latter because he felt at home, as though everything before him was familiar.

It was the sound of voices which managed to bring them both back.

“We've not had anyone be able to return in months!”

“Is that… Is that a human?”

“The Shepherd, possibly?”

“Wait … that's _Mikleo!”_

Just as the two were passing through the archway, there were angels beginning to crowd near them, the other angels standing on the sidelines There might have been familiarity in a couple of their appearances, but Mikleo was finding it hard to pin-point if he knew any, even as they began to spoke.

“We couldn't see you at all!” a girl with blue hair was saying. “We had all thought you may have died… And this, is this the Shepherd?”

“Uh, that I am,” Sorey laughed awkwardly.

“Sorey?”

It was a voice that Sorey could recognise, and his eyes widened before he grinned widely, wrapping his arms around who it had belonged to.

“ _Mason!_ You've been reincarnated!”

“Of course he has,” Lailah smiled, listening in. “That is part of my duty, you know. I thought you might have guessed.”

“I've been told all about this role of the Shepherd,” Mason said as he pulled apart from Sorey. “And from what I have always known about you, I think it's a role perfectly suited for you.”

Sorey's grin grew. “Thank you.”

Even through this happiness, the angel with blue hair was still seeming concerned, and now a few others were, too.

“Mikleo, why aren't you saying anything?”

“I-I uh, well…” he stuttered, but was saved the trouble of answering over a call from the distance.

“He's on his way now!” an angel with white hair called.

“Thank you, Shiron,” Mason said. He glanced at Mikleo, who was seeming to be overwhelmed. Feeling as though he knew this boy personally from all he had been told about him, he decided to try and help. “Let's save all this questioning for when Zenrus is here.”

Mikleo smiled at him gratefully, welcoming Sorey taking his hand into his own and giving it a small squeeze. He didn't need any words to know that Mikleo was feeling saddened by how all these angels clearly knew him, yet he couldn't remember any of them.

Before long, a short angel much more elderly than the rest was making his way forward. His head turned upwards to Mikleo, and there was a strong hint of emotion in his voice.

“You've come back at last. I take it that Lailah performed the elemental incantation?”

“Yeah, she did.” His response had hesitated a bit, for he was a little taken aback by how much he seemed to know this man's voice.

“For that, I thank you,” Zenrus said, turning to Lailah and bowing his head, the woman doing so in return, before Zenrus diverted his gaze back to Mikleo. “Now, tell me, boy. Whatever happened to you? I can sense that something has happened to your magic.”

“Yeah, it has,” he said quietly. “And … it's a long story, so as long as you're fine to listen to all of that…”

“Take as long as you need.”

And so he did. He began his story about how he had awoken in Sorey's apartment after being carried there, doing so with no memory of anything, not even his name. He told them of how all he could recall was the sound of screaming and very little else. He explained how Sorey then allowed him to stay, determined to help him with his memories, and how he learned of his name during an attack by hellions, in which Lailah stepped in. He soon learnt of his mother's name too, and went off to seek her in Pendrago with Sorey, and before long, he found himself as the Sub Lord to the Shepherd. They accepted that they loved each other, discovered about their past and how they were soul-mates. Then, there was Mikleo's attack from Maltran, and how during that sleep, he had learned that the one who had altered his memories had in fact been Lunarre.

It was strange to compress all of the month's events into one story, yet he found a strange relief in doing so, for it allowed him to think over how far his memories had come, how he had grown from an angel scared of venturing outside because of unknown malevolence, to one who would throw themselves into the very pit of it in order to save someone.

The silence which had been maintained during his story lingered for a moment once he had finished, before finally, Zenrus spoke, his voice a little quieter than it had been previously.

“You have been through more ordeals than I ever would have hoped,” he began. “We had always felt unbelievable guilt over your struggles as a human, as well as your early death, so to that you have also faced this as an angel is something I could never truly apologise for. Yet let me do so from the bottom of my heart.”

“You don't have to!” Mikleo said hurriedly. “There's no reason for _you_ to apologise for it.”

“But it was my idea for you to return to Earth, and that is clearly what our enemies had been expecting. If it was not for my foolish decision, you would have remained safe.”

Mikleo shook his head. “It doesn't matter. Even if it's been difficult, there have been things which make up for that.” He squeezed the hand which was still in his gently, smiling up at Sorey for a moment before turning back to Zenrus. “So please, don't apologise.”

“You have always been such a sweet soul. I've never been prouder of you.”

“He truly has grown strong,” said Lailah, the angels automatically stepping to the side so she could pass. “However, that strength can only do so much. We were wondering if there is any possible way of you helping to restore Mikleo's memories to what they once were.”

“I thought you would ask as such,” Zenrus replied. “This would be an easy task if it had been an angel who had altered his memories, but due to the culprit being a demon, it is harder to overcome. However,” he continued, which caused Mikleo to straighten a little, having become crestfallen for a moment, “this does not mean to say that there is no chance at all of us being able to reverse this. It will take the power of several of us, yet with my power combined, we should be able to return what has been forgotten, at the very least with your life as an angel.”

Mikleo's eyes widened, unable to fully comprehend what he was being told. After all, following all of his struggles, something as hopeful of this was hardly believable. Because of this astonishment, it was Sorey who spoke first.

“You can really do that?” he asked quietly. “You can really bring back his memories?”

“It will take a lot of power, but yes, we can,” Zenrus smiled. “Right now, if that is what you wish.”

Mikleo nodded, still quite unable to find words to speak. He swallowed, forcing them to come to him. “I – I would be very grateful for that. What would you like me to do?”

“Please lie down on the grass and try to relax. I'm sorry that you'll have to do so in front of others, but we need as many as possible for this.”

Mikleo nodded as he settled down on the grass. With his anticipation and strange nervousness he felt over the thought of his memories restored, he would have cared little about being embarrassed even without the words.

“I want you to close your eyes and take a few minutes to clear your mind. We will begin the procedure after this.”

Mikleo nodded, exhaling a deep breath whilst his body visibly relaxed. During this, Zenrus took Sorey to one side for a moment, smiling.

“Just in case I forget to give this to you later,” he started, speaking quietly to not disturb Mikleo. He held out a hand, and in a moment, a book had appeared in it from a flash of light. It was handed over to him. “This is a book written by the previous Shepherd, named the Celestial Record. It was given to us in order to pass on to you. Whilst you may already know of some information it provides, you may find it useful, or at least an interesting read.”

With wide eyes, Sorey took the book from him, running his hand along its smooth surface. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Keep it safe.” Zenrus then returned to Mikleo's side, gesturing for some of the other angels to join him. What happened next was so beautiful that even Edna, Dezel and Lailah, who were more used to magic than Sorey, were in awe themselves.

Another ten angels aside from Zenrus were now holding out a single hand in front of them, murmuring an incantation in the Ancient Tongue under their breaths. A white light shone transparently to begin with, soft and subtle, but as they continued, it began to steadily grow brighter. None could be sure of how long this magic was cast; time seemed to flow by fairly quickly due to witnessing the beautiful display, Mikleo remaining still all the while. It was hard to see if anything was happening, for his face was expressionless. Sorey wondered if he had perhaps fallen into slumber during this, or if his mind was simply leaving him, leaving him in a dazed, perplexed state.

As anticipation began to build up further, the light shining around Mikleo became intense, the witnesses having to shield their eyes for a moment. It then subsided and left the area silent.

Mikleo's eyes opened slowly, blinking a few times. Sorey slid down onto his knees next to him, brushing hair away from his face.

“Did it do anything?” he asked, speaking quietly as Mikleo seemed to be a little perplexed. He blinked again, and then his eyes were widening. He sat up by Sorey, a hand held over his mouth, silent as he turned to him. Sorey's heart skipped when Mikleo nodded his head slowly.

“All your names,” he said quietly, peering up at the angels, his gaze shifting between them. “Loanna, Kyme, Myrna, Lawrence…” His eyes averted to the rest and began to fill with tears. “All of you, I...”

He turned to Lailah, who had both of her hands over her mouth. “I remember your guidance, and how much you cared for me.” He then looked at Edna, who could only stare with wide eyes. “And you and Zaveid… You helped train me, too. We were best of friends.”

He couldn't stop himself from bursting into tears of joy, body shaking as he covered his face in his hands. The life he had as an angel, all of the people he felt guilty over not being able to remember – they were returning to him. Their laughter, their faces, their voices… A chapter in his life had finally been returned to him.

Sorey was now taking him into his arms to bring him closer, holding a hand of the back of his head which was now burying into Sorey's neck. Sorey himself had a thousand words to say to this, to express the happiness he felt over the return of Mikleo's memories, but he was too overwhelmed to say them. He instead chose to simply hold on to Mikleo, hoping that this action at least spoke what he wanted to say.

Mikleo was eventually parting from Sorey, wiping at his eyes as he let out a small, delighted laugh. He and Sorey both got to their feet, turning to Zenrus.

“Thank you, _all_ of you, for doing this for me.”

“I can't believe you remember,” Lailah said softly, wiping her own tears away as she brought him into a hug. “You… You really do remember the days I was teaching you?”

Mikleo nodded. “You did more than that. You were – no, you _are_ still like family to me.” Over Lailah's shoulder, he could see Edna and Dezel coming closer themselves. “And now I know where the name 'Meebo' comes from,” he said, receiving a chuckle from Edna, who seemed as though she was trying to hold back how emotional she was, but was failing at doing so. Even Dezel, who Mikleo knew hadn't been close to him and never spoke to him much, was smiling, joyful himself over the situation.

When he and Lailah broke apart, he was startled over being pulled into a sudden kiss by Sorey. It lingered gently for a moment, before Sorey was beaming at him, emerald eyes watery.

“It's incredible,” he started in a soft voice, “that you knew nothing about yourself several months ago, but now this has happened.”

“I have you to thank too, for that.”

“But I didn't really help with your memories...”

Mikleo shook his head. “That's not true. You stood by me whilst I was scared over how I knew nothing about myself, allowing me to feel safer. It was your support that helped me pull through, Sorey, and I couldn't be more grateful for that.” He took both of Sorey's hands, smiling. “You know how you said that you've never protected me? Think again, Sorey. You've done so, _so_ much more than you give yourself credit for.”

“I'm… I'm just being myself, really,” Sorey responded, letting out a small laugh.

“That's what makes it even better. Thank you.”

The already existing smile on Sorey's face grew. “You're welcome.”

“And you as well, for not giving up on me,” Mikleo continued, turning to face Lailah, Edna and Dezel standing by him. “I couldn't have done this without any of your help.”

“You have yourself to thank, too,” Lailah said. “After all, it's your strength which allowed you to pull through.”

Even after all of the insecurities he had faced in the past, Mikleo was able to find himself agreeing with her words. After everything which had happened, it was his determination that had always allowed him to pull through no matter what. If it wasn't for this and the support he would never stop feeling grateful for, he likely wouldn't have been standing here on this day, feeling weakened physically, yet empowered mentally.

It was in this moment that for the first time since his awakening, he truly felt hopeful that everything would turn out in their favour in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was this ... a rather happy chapter for once?
> 
> I feel like I've either got you hopeful about it ending happily, or worried about this being a bit of calm before the storm. It's up to you which you believe, of course.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	22. Obligation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time for them to move to Lastonbell has arrived. This brings a reunion which leaves them realising what their next step will have to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, the last chapter was so happy. I'm glad there was happiness.
> 
> Was.
> 
> I'm having to rely on past proof reads a bit for this as I'm not feeling well enough to read this through with such high focus tonight, so hopefully there's no mistakes. Enjoy!

The return of Mikleo's memories seemed to bring an entirely new confidence in him. There were still a few small things he was struggling to remember from his life as a human, but in an instant caused by the angels' help, it was as though he had always remembered his life as an angel. This confidence could waver, but on the whole, it seemed to only do so on occasion.

The guilt which had always weighed down on his chest was gone, a guilt which had been caused by him being unable to remember those who clearly cared about him. Of course, it had never been his fault, and not once had he been blamed. However, he was still hard to have not felt guilty when he saw that the others, Lailah especially, adored him, yet could not remember their times together. Now that he could, he suddenly felt closer to them once more.

However, even with these returned memories of them, he found himself feeling strangely thankful for the fact that he had once not been able to remember them. This was because he felt an immense amount of gratitude for how they had stuck by him regardless of his amnesia. The bond he felt for the angels now seemed even stronger than it had done before he lost his memories, for they had now been through struggles together. Hardships, as long as you can overcome them, make you stronger. Mikleo witnessed that in his friendships as well as everything else.

The lease of confidence he was given with these new memories were clearly helping him to recover. He seemed to be regaining energy bit by bit at a much faster rate, the others forever smiling over this. He even went walking around with Sorey and Alisha on their patrols, due to thinking that being out on the streets for a few hours would do him some good. It left him exhausted each night, yet in a way which wasn't worrying – it was mostly sleepiness, his body stopping him before he over-exerted himself properly. Because of this, it was actually fairly enjoyable for them both, what with Mikleo finding his most comfortable way to sleep being him resting against Sorey's chest. He typically fell asleep first, Sorey smiling and gently stroking his back, before joining his slumber. They were also not woken by nightmares as often anymore, though it did still seem common for Lunarre's eyes to flash in his sleep.

Before long, the morning of their move to Lastonbell arrived. Now it was mere hours until they were leaving, it was strange to see the boxes around the apartment, ready to be heaved into a moving truck.

“You look a little upset,” Mikleo said, stroking a hand down Sorey's arm gently.

“I am, really,” Sorey admitted, eyes drifting around the room. “I've only lived here for two years, yet it just feels like home, you know?”

Mikleo nodded, resting his head against Sorey's shoulder. “I understand. I feel the same way, considering I've lived here since you found me.” There was a small pause before he continued. “Thank you for that, by the way.”

“For what? Finding you?”

“Well, I _am_ thankful for that. But I meant about letting me live here.”

“We're a couple, Mikleo,” Sorey said amusingly. “I'm going to let you live with me.”

“You know what I mean,” Mikleo huffed, letting out a chuckle as he gave Sorey a small shove. “I meant before that. Just letting me stay here and everything. It means a lot, and I'll be sad to leave here too because of that.”

“Someone's being sentimental.”

“Aren't you as well?”

Sorey hesitated, before smiling sadly. “Yeah. Come on, let's have some breakfast.”

The kitchen was very scarce now, with only a few remaining items they would need for this morning still unpacked, which would be so following their breakfast. In his habitual manner, Mikleo started pouring batter into a frying pan for pancakes, smiling as Sorey wrapped his arms his waist to bring him a little closer and placed a kiss on his neck. “Even in a new place, we can still do this, you know.”

“Yep, I do know that,” Sorey replied, resting his head on Mikleo's shoulder. “That's why I'm not _too_ upset by moving. It's mostly exciting for me, being as I've only ever lived in Ladylake.”

“Really?” Mikleo questioned, a little surprised. He knew that Sorey had grown up in Ladylake and remained there once Mikleo moved, but he would have thought that he would perhaps moved at some point.

“Yeah. Moymor, the guy who adopted me, lived in Ladylake until I was 18. He decided he wanted to achieve his dream of moving to another continent – it wasn't sudden, obviously. He had talked about it for years. But something kept me from going with him. Considering that was the age you … well, passed away, I can imagine what was keeping me here for sure.” He kissed the side of Mikleo's head, smiling. “And I'm glad I stayed here, because things wouldn't have turned out the same. I guess it's just time to move on now I'm by your side again.”

“I think it's definitely for the best,” Mikleo replied, now placing the pancake down onto a plate and pouring in batter for another. “Not just because of your duties as a Shepherd. I think it'll do us some good to move away from a place where we've both had hardships, starting fresh somewhere new. I definitely think there's more positives to this than negatives.”

“I'm glad you think that way,” Sorey said, his smile growing. “Thank you, Mikleo. You really are sweet.”

“Huh? I'm not sweet really, I'm just … being honest, I guess.”

“And that's what makes it even sweeter.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes, but he was smiling from the words which had been so similar to his own in regards to Sorey when they had been in Heaven. The two were soon sat down, both feeling a little upset over how this would be their last time sitting at this kitchen island together. They had gotten so used to sitting here for their shared meals that even though they would continue to share meals with each other, they would still be elsewhere.

Deciding to lift the mood, Mikleo broke the silence with a question. “Have I told you yet how I met Edna and Zaveid?”

“Oh, you haven't!” Sorey exclaimed, sitting up straighter. “Go on, tell me.”

“Lailah and I were visiting Marlind, as there was some malevolence there she wanted to purify, and she thought it'd be useful for me to fight hellions there even if I couldn't purify them myself. Well, it turned out that Edna and Zaveid were searching for Eizen in Marlind that day.”

“That's such a good coincidence.”

“It most definitely was. And of course, I didn't meet them in a normal way. Lailah and I heard a man's scream, and we immediately ran towards it, concerned that it was a human in danger, perhaps by a hellion.”

“Oh no. It was Zaveid, wasn't it?” Sorey questioned, grinning.

“That's right. We turned around a corner only to find that Edna was kneeling on his back, umbrella dug into the ground by his head, which he was holding in his hands. He was apologising, saying it was a joke. Lailah greeted them, which caused them to get up and explain that Zaveid was joking about whether or not Eizen might understand him if he proposed to Edna.”

“And she tackled him to the floor because of that?” Sorey spluttered.

“Uh-huh. Looks like Edna's worst fear is marrying an exhibitionist.”

They both laughed, the previously upset atmosphere now a lot more brighter after the story. They were soon finishing off their breakfasts and were packing away the rest of their things, feeling a lot more positive about doing so. Before long, the moving truck Sorey had hired arrived, two men now proceeding to move the belongings downstairs, thanking Sorey as he helped. Before he did so, however, he had to quickly slap Mikleo's wrist away from a box.

“ _Hey!”_ Mikleo exclaimed, rubbing his wrist, which Sorey knew was a dramatic reaction considering it hadn't been slapped hard at all. “What was that for?”

“Mikleo, they can't see you. You can't just go putting boxes in the van.”

“Oh … right, I forgot about that.”

Sorey chuckled, stacking two boxes before lifting them up. He caught Mikleo's eyes watching him and winked, considered it was quite clear that he had been watching the muscles in Sorey's arms tense up.

Not long before they left, Lailah and Edna showed up, ready to join them in the car journey. They watched as Sorey and Mikleo took one final look at the apartment, both seeing how emotional it was making them feel.

“You're both attached to this place, aren't you?” Lailah asked.

Sorey nodded. “Definitely. But I'm looking forward to a new start.”

“Hey, I just realised,” Mikleo suddenly said, turning to Lailah. “This place is protected, right? What about Sorey's new place?”

“Oh, I already arranged that with Zenrus,” she replied reassuringly. “We still had some of Symonne's blood left.”

“It might surprise you that angels hold onto things like that,” Edna added. “But you never know when it could come into use.”

Mikleo sighed, this noise of relief causing a smile to reach Sorey's face. The four of them were soon making their way downstairs, taking one last glance at the apartment building before entering Sorey's car.

“Are Alisha and Rose leaving at the same time?” she asked Sorey.

“Yeah, Dezel will be driving with them.”

“Sometimes I think travelling would be much easier if we just went inside,” she said as she looked out of the window, Sorey casting a confused glance at her.

“'Went inside'?”

“It's what angels can do if you're their vessel. It just means our souls go inside your body,” Mikleo explained. “But it doesn't feel like the best thing to have a deceased entity be inside you like that, so it's not recommended.”

“How did you …” Sorey began, but he immediately realised the answer, which caused him to smile. “Of course, your memories.”

“It _is_ hard to remember you have them back, which is pretty ironic,” Edna commented. “Anyway, about that whole thing. It's not as though _Mikleo_ wants to be inside _you_ , so there's nothing to worry about.”

“Oh my God, Edna!” Mikleo groaned, turning around from the front seat to glare at her. “Do you _ever_ shut up?!”

“No, and I'm not going to.”

“You're seriously such a – Sorey, stop laughing!”

“He's obviously going to laugh, Mikleo,” Lailah said, giggling herself now. “I mean, you make yourself too easy to tease, you know.”

“I hate all of you,” Mikleo muttered as he shifted his gaze so he was looking out of the window, a hand over his mouth hiding his amused smile.

“Don't say that to me now,” Lailah responded, letting out a deep sigh. “I need as much support as possible with me now leaving the place I've guarded over for centuries.”

“That thought had actually slipped my mind,” he said, turning around once again to face her, eyes bearing sympathy. “How are you dealing with that?”

“Fairly well, actually. Different paths must be walked at times, and I left there temporarily when I was … travelling. It is not as though I've abandoned Ladylake forever; it is just merely whilst we take steps forward.”

Mikleo smiled. “I'm glad you're seeing it in that light.”

“Speaking of those steps forward,” Sorey said, frowning as he tapped the steering wheel with a finger. “Symonne and the others haven't made any moves lately.”

“They're probably building up power, or wanted you to have a chance to become tainted,” Edna responded. “I haven't particularly minded their lack of appearance, it's given me chance to think about …”

Her words trailed off as she bit her lip. Lailah rubbed her shoulder comfortingly before speaking. “We do have a lot to think about with this move. I know it is meant to be a positive thing, what with this being a good progression for sure, but please don't forget about that.”

“I haven't for a moment,” Sorey replied. “Definitely not.”

His eyes drifted to Mikleo, before placing a hand down on his thigh. Sorey's body calmed once Mikleo placed a hand over his. Every single touch of Mikleo's seemed like it would always be able to calm him.

 

* * *

 

 

A few hours later, they were settling in the apartment. Unlike Sorey's old apartment which was fairly small with only one bedroom, this one was a little larger with two bedrooms, the second now where Lailah would be staying, as well as Edna when she wasn't out with Zaveid. It had looked far too scarce when Sorey had visited here during the time he was planning to rent it, but now there was his old furniture inside, it made the place feel a lot more homely. It still felt foreign, though, and Sorey was questioning whether to keep all of his books in the lounge as opposed to split them up between it and the bedroom, like he had done in his old apartment.

“What do you think?” Mikleo asked, for Sorey's expression was a little difficult to read.

“It's … nice, don't get me wrong,” he said, eyes darting around the room, taking in its view. “I just think it'll take some getting used to.

“I do like the walls,” Lailah said, placing a hand on the pure white paint. “It makes it look lovely and bright.”

“Yeah, the person who had been staying here painted it before they left,” Sorey explained, beginning to pile books onto the bookshelf against a wall, which he had spent a while deciding the placement of. He paused, finding a thought that was making him like this apartment a little more. He might have had to buy a new bookcase if all of his books were going to be kept in here instead, and he would definitely not ever say no to that.

Mikleo seemed to read this, grinning as he started to assist with the books. “I'm personally not going to say no to a larger bookcase.”

“Nerds,” Edna commented simply, settling herself down on the sofa. “Well, at least you have your old furniture. Can't be that bad, right?”

“Yeah, you _are_ right,” Sorey said, turning to smile at her. “I'll get over the whole sentimental stuff eventually.”

“Thank God. Save it for Meebo.”

It did turn out that he was getting over his sentimental attitude even during the first day; naturally not completely, but definitely a lot. There was now a dining table instead of the old island they used to sit at, but eating a meal together still felt like it had always done, and it was a nice feeling to be able to have Edna sit with them too. The two girls left to go for a walk following the meal, Sorey and Mikleo settling on the sofa together, the latter peering up from Sorey's shoulder with curiosity when he held up a ringing phone.

“It's Alisha,” he explained, putting the phone on speaker. “There you are! Did the move go okay?”

“ _Most certainly,”_ Alisha replied. It was clear that she also had her own phone on speaker, for the two of them could easily pick up Rose's voice.

“ _We love it here!”_ she exclaimed enthusiastically. _“With both of our jobs, we can afford to get somewhere decent. Ah, I'm so glad we both have work which lets us move like this!”_

“You've always been one to never fear moving,” Sorey commented.

“ _Definitely so,_ _”_ Alisha said, letting out a soft chuckle. _“She's practically been bouncing around since we got here. So how are you both finding your own new home?”_

“It's … definitely taking some getting used to,” Sorey replied. “But it's really nice here.”

“Sorey's just a bit overly attached to his old place,” Mikleo commented.

“ _Yes, it was truly a lovely apartment, even with how it was a little small. I'm sure you'll get used to it.”_

“ _Be sure to invite us round for dinner soon!”_ Rose added.

“But of course,” Sorey smiled.

“I'll just cook for you so Sorey doesn't burn it,” Mikleo contributed with a smirk.

“Come on, will you _ever_ drop the burning jokes?”

“Nope.”

“ _Behave, Mikleo,”_ Alisha laughed. _“Though speaking of making those kind of plans, I was wondering if you both wanted to go somewhere tomorrow? Work might end up being fairly busy once it starts here, so I was thinking we should make the most of it.”_

“Oh, I like the sound of that!” said Sorey, turning to Mikleo. “What about you?”

“Count me in. Where did you have in mind?”

“ _Perhaps Pendrago? I've not really been around Rolance that much, so I've only been there once.”_

“That sounds like a good idea,” Mikleo approved.

“Definitely does!”

“ _I'm up for it too,”_ Rose said. _“Be sure to see if Lailah and Edna would want to join, too. Who knows, they might find Zaveid!”_

“I _have_ been wondering where he's gotten to,” Mikleo thought aloud.

“You're not worried, are you?” Sorey asked. “He's fine, he's always moving around.”

“Oh, I know,” Mikleo said reassuringly. “I was just curious, that's all.”

“That's okay, then!”

“ _How about we meet there just after lunch?”_ Alisha suggested.

“Sounds like a plan! I'll see you both then.”

“ _See you tomorrow!”_

“ _See ya!”_ Rose exclaimed, before the call ended. Sorey smiled, bringing Mikleo a little closer to him.

“This will be nice,” he said. “After all, Alisha's right, it _is_ going to end up getting busy. With work, and then …”

“The whole thing with Eizen, not to mention Heldalf.”

“Yeah. I don't want to break my promise to Edna about helping her, and obviously we can't forget about Heldalf.”

“Please be careful, though,” Mikleo said seriously. “They seem hell-bent on tainting you, so you really do need to watch out for yourself.”

“Don't worry, I will!” He placed a kiss down on Mikleo's head, smiling for a moment over his hair tickling his nose. “I'm watching out for you more, though. It seems like they know you're my weakness.”

“I'm your … weakness?” Mikleo said slowly. Sorey panicked, immediately thinking Mikleo took it the wrong way.

“I – I don't mean in a bad way!” he said hurriedly. “You're my strength, too. I just mean it like how they know how much I love you, and that they want to use that. You yourself aren't a weakness.”

Mikleo's body seemed to relax a little. “Sorry, I know that's what you meant. I guess I'm still feeling insecure over how I've been damaged and everything.”

“I understand, don't worry. But you yourself will _never_ be my weakness. You're my my biggest strength.”

A smile grew on Mikleo's face from those words, causing him to rise up and kiss Sorey's lips tenderly. It was now that Sorey felt like he could truly feel at home here – with the warmth of Mikleo's body wrapped in his arms and the taste of his lips against his own, it was clear that no matter where he was, he would be at home as long as Mikleo was there.

 

* * *

 

 

It had been strange sleeping somewhere different that night, even with Lailah, who had no fatigue to cure, not sleeping in the room nearby. But like previously, it still felt as welcoming as ever to sleep in each other's arms, even if they did have to separate a while later due to the summer heat starting to become stifling.

This heat continued to the following morning. It rose a little concern for Mikleo, considering his health was still worrisome and the heat certainly did not help with sudden bouts of fatigue or dizziness. However, he assured Sorey that he was fine and aimed to keep cool with a loose fitting tank top and a pair of shorts. Sorey wasn't complaining at this; whilst tighter clothing showed of his figure well, loose clothing seemed to make him look smaller. He immediately showed this appreciation by bringing him closer, receiving a grumble of _“Get off”_ in response.

The two soon met with Lailah and Edna, who had confirmed they wouldn't mind visiting Pendrago themselves, before the four began their journey. It was only going to take them half an hour to get there, yet the heat was soon making the journey unbearable, Lailah shrieking as Edna stuck her head out of the window, concerned she was going to get hurt. When they exited the car, however, they at least found comfort in the fact that they could stand in shade whilst appreciating the breeze.

“The malevolence doesn't seem to be very thick here,” Lailah commented as they wandered through the streets.

“I'm a bit surprised, actually,” Edna said in response. “I mean, Rolance in general hasn't been faring as well as Ladylake.”

“Looks like the work we did whilst Mikleo was asleep paid off,” Sorey added.

“I'm glad to know that you did things like that whilst I was asleep,” said Mikleo. “I mean, I know it's a given that you would, but I guess it's a reassuring thing to hear.”

“Yeah, we got quite a bit done! It helped me out when I got distressed and such.” He cleared his throat, obviously wanting to steer the topic away to something more cheerful. He soon had a distraction, because he realised that he was in a rather busy area and had been speaking normally. “Oh.”

Mikleo laughed, knowing immediately what Sorey was thinking from the change in his facial expression. “Don't worry, only a couple of people looked at you. It's pretty busy, so they're not really noticing.”

“Still, we better go meet up with Alisha and Rose soon so I don't seem insane,” Sorey answered, trying to stop his lips from moving much.

“Honestly, these humans and their low resonance,” Edna said, peering around at them, bringing her wings closer to her body when a confused girl had walked into one of them, looking a little dazed. “There's so many of them, yet none of them can see or hear us. I wonder what the statistics are for it?”

“The amount is very low,” Lailah said, letting out a sigh. “It's awkward to build a resonance, considering that not many people believe in religion, and most religions give wrong facts about us anyway… Resonance is mostly just a rare, natural gift now, rather than people being able to build it more like Alisha did.”

“My mother has a fairly higher resonance than the average person,” Mikleo said, his thoughts immediately wandering with a small frown. Now they were heading down a quieter, scarce street to lead them to their meeting place with Rose and Alisha, Sorey was able to turn to Mikleo without anyone seeing him.

“Are you thinking about her because of her living here?” he asked quietly, receiving a nod in return.

“I'm hoping we see her, but at the same time, I'm not,” he said, biting his lip. “I want to see how she's faring, but I don't want to simply watch her again, not being able to speak to her.”

Sorey placed a comforting hand on Mikleo's shoulder, forcing a smile. “Either way, you're going to be fine. You're strong, Mikleo, and I have every bit of faith in you.”

Mikleo smiled back, eyes shining a little brighter. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

Now feeling a little brighter from the simple yet powerful words, Mikleo followed Sorey along with Lailah and Edna. Before long, they found Alisha, Rose and Dezel where they said they'd be; in a less industrialised part of Pendrago, where the two wives were holding iced teas from a place they had a lunch date.

“Ah, there you are!” Rose exclaimed. “Great weather, isn't it?”

“It's great if you like dying in a pool of your own sweat,” Edna replied bluntly.

“Forever an optimist,” said Dezel with a small smirk.

Alisha laughed, shaking her head. “Honestly … How about we go take a walk? It's fairly quiet in this part, and there hasn't been any hellions to purify yet.”

The others agreed, Mikleo finding himself glancing at Alisha and Rose for a moment, feeling a pang of sadness return to him. He had only thought about it briefly before, but he was steadily beginning to realise the longer that he and Sorey were together that they were missing out on things like this; of course, taking drinks out whilst they went for a walk were completely possible, but actually going on a proper date together, eating food and being in public …

“You okay?” Sorey asked softly, startling him out of his thoughts.

“O-Oh yeah, I'm fine,” Mikleo lied, not wanting to add negativity once again to what was supposed to be an enjoyable day. Sorey frowned, leaning down to place a kiss on the side of Mikleo's head, his hand squeezing Mikleo's gently. Mikleo knew what this meant; it was Sorey saying that he knew something was bothering him, but this wasn't the time nor place to discuss it. It was always fascinating how well they were able to read each other.

“Okay, I'm definitely no longer finding this whether great,” said Rose, fanning herself with her T-shirt. “Phew! Mikleo, spray some water at me to cool me down.”

He did so, causing her to yelp as he did so right in the face. “You didn't say _where.”_

“Oh, that's just wrong,” she whined, but she was grinning as she wiped away the water from her face.

“It's all right, I can do this,” Lailah smiled as she stretched her wing over Rose's head to provide shade for her from the sun, making her sigh in relief.

“Oh, that's _much_ better.”

“There's no way that Edna can do that,” Mikleo said with a smirk. “Her wings are far too small.”

“Like you're one to talk,” Edna snapped back.

“Woah, settle down guys,” Sorey laughed, relieved that whatever seemed to have been bothering Mikleo was now fading. However, it wasn't to last.

The group hadn't noticed how long they had been walking for, now coming up to the church where Sorey had met Muse. It was only when Alisha exclaimed happily about where they were that Mikleo noticed the church nearby; he swallowed, his footsteps slowing down. There was something taking place – it seemed to be a charity event – and he knew that it was likely his mother, with her pure heart and wish to help, was there giving her assistance.

“I really want to visit it,” Alisha said, peering up at the church's spears. “Who wants to come with me?”

“You go ahead,” Mikleo said. “I'm going to stay out here for a bit.”

“Yeah, same here,” Sorey added. “We've already seen the church. Don't mind us!”

Sorey's cheerful tone was reassuring, and the rest were soon venturing into the church to see what was happening. Once they were gone, Sorey took hold of Mikleo's hand and led him to a quiet alleyway near the church, brushing hair out of his face.

“You're worried she's in there, aren't you?”

Mikleo nodded, his head lowering a little. “I was listening to her screams for weeks. I don't think I can bring myself to look at her face, not when that's all I can hear.”

The words struck pain in Sorey's heart, causing him to bring Mikleo into a hug, a hand stroking his hair gently. “That's perfectly understandable,” he said quietly. “You don't have to see her, remember?"

“Yet I kind of want to. It's confusing.”

Sorey pulled back to place a kiss on Mikleo's forehead. “I can see why.”

“I'm okay, really,” he said, his eyes glancing over to the direction of the church. “It's just difficult.” Regardless, he forced a smile. “Thank you for looking out for me.”

“No need to thank me for that.” Sorey paused for a moment, obviously contemplating his following words. “What was wrong with you before?”

“Oh … that.” Mikleo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It's kind of silly really, but I was feeling jealous of Alisha and Rose.”

“Jealous?” Sorey blinked. “How come?”

Mikleo hesitated. He didn't want to hurt Sorey, yet it felt wrong to hide how he was feeling. “Because they're both human, and are able to do things we can't. We can't go for meals like they can and act like any couple would in public. I guess it kind of … hurts, that we don't have that kind of opportunity.”

“Yeah, it does,” Sorey said quietly.

“Hiding in alleyways like this isn't exactly what other couples have to do,” Mikleo chuckled humourlessly, before speaking again quickly. “Please don't get the wrong idea, though. I love being with you and I'm grateful for what we have.”

“I'm not, don't worry! I get what you mean.” He smiled, cupping Mikleo's face with his hand. “Besides, hiding in alleyways isn't exactly a bad thing. It means I can kiss you without anyone watching.”

He did just that, leaning down to brush his lips against Mikleo's, eyes glancing to see if anyone was peering into this alleyway before they closed, a hand on Mikleo's back bringing him closer to him. He smiled into the kiss for a moment as he did so; whenever he brought Mikleo closer to deepen their kisses, there was always a small quiver from his wings in response, and he found it adorable.

“Better now?” he asked as he pulled away.

“I think so. Come on, let's go back out there in case they leave.”

Sorey nodded, following Mikleo back out onto the street. They were a little surprised to find Lailah peering around on her own, quite obviously searching for them.

“Oh, Sorey!” she exclaimed when she saw him, hurrying over. “Listen, Muse is in there, and you really must see her.”

“How come?”

“She's been speaking to Rose and Alisha, and your name was brought up, and … Oh Sorey, please just come speak to her!”

Curiosity rising, he nodded, turning to Mikleo. “Do you want to wait out here?”

Mikleo contemplated this for a few moments before he shook his head. “No, I want to see why you need to speak to her.”

“As long as you're sure.”

“I am, don't worry,” he responded with reassurance. The two were now following Lailah to the church, eyes scanning for Muse, who their eyes managed to find easily. The smile on her face from something Alisha was saying to her, the beautiful violet eyes, her plaited hair… Just like before, it was bringing pain to Mikleo's chest, yet he was also feeling a strange kind of relief from seeing her. He was realising that seeing her alive and well after how much suffering she had been going through in his memories was something he needed.

“Hey, Muse!” Sorey called, stepping to the side as a child jogged past him. The woman turned immediately, her smile growing as she saw Sorey. What neither him nor Mikleo expected was for her to wrap her arms around him, bringing him into a hug. “Um …” he said awkwardly, unsure of whether or not to hug back.

“Sorry, it's just …” They were both taken aback as she laughed delightfully, a single tear escaping from one eye, which she was quick to wipe away. “Sorey, I remember you.”

“Huh?” Sorey said, uncertain of what she meant. “Well, it wasn't that long ago since we –”

“No, I don't mean about that. I meant from when you were a child. You were best friends with Mikleo.”

Both Sorey and Mikleo's hearts seemed to stop for a moment. “You … remember that?” Sorey questioned, his eyes widening in shock.

“I do! It just came to me randomly, as though some kind of door had been opened …”

Their minds drifted back to their first kiss, how it had awakened their lost memories, and both wondered to themselves if it had done the same for Muse.

“I'm a little confused as to why I forgot about you, and why you didn't seem to remember anything yourself,” she continued. “But I've always had strange events happen to me like this, so I'm not entirely in shock. I've wanted to see you ever since then, but I had no clue about where you lived.”

“I live in Lastonbell now,” Sorey told her. “I moved here alongside Rose and Alisha.”

“Yes, they told me about that. I do hope this means we can see each other more often.”

He smiled, nodding in agreement. “I do, too.”

“I should return to my helping, but be sure to drop by whenever you're in Pendrago!”

She waved to him, before walking over to the priest to say something to him. Both Sorey and Mikleo simply stood frozen for a moment, before the latter spoke quietly.

“She must have remembered us when we first started getting our memories back, too.”

“That is definitely the case,” Lailah said. “The idea was for the alteration to fade once you two were in a time where you could accept your love for each other. It seems as though it worked.”

“This is incredible,” Sorey said, his voice also quiet.

“We're sorry for butting in,” Rose apologised. “We hadn't realised who she was at first, until she mentioned Mikleo.”

“It's all right,” Mikleo responded. “Like Sorey said, it definitely is incredible.”

“That's definitely the word,” Dezel said in agreement. “I mean, for the Shepherds and a soul-mate to all connect like this … that's fate for sure.”

The group were soon leaving the church, thinking over Dezel's words. All were concerned for Mikleo, Edna suggesting that they go through quieter streets. She didn't say that this was so Sorey could put an arm around Mikleo's shoulders comfortingly without anyone seeing, yet it was obvious that this was her intention.

However, Mikleo was soon brushing the arm away gently as he turned to Lailah.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” she said, everyone's eyes shifting to Mikleo with curiosity.

“How many Squires can a Shepherd have?”

A silence fell. Each of them knew why he was asking, making any response difficult to think of. Lailah bit her lip, obviously wanting to be truthful, yet against the idea of what Mikleo had in mind.

“It varies. A Shepherd can manage as many Squire pacts as much as his power allows it. But Mikleo, if you're thinking of Muse –”

“I was just thinking she'd be more protected if she has the power to purify,” he said quietly. “That's all.”

“I can assure you that she is already protected enough. We knew that there was every possibility of Muse becoming a target. It appears as though no demon knows where she is, yet there are still angels watching over her. We wouldn't let her be harmed.”

“I thought that might be the case. I just thought as well that if she's a Squire, she could –”

“Don't give in to that same temptation as Rose, when she wanted to go to Heaven,” Dezel said immediately. “It's really not the best idea.”

“But why not?” Mikleo questioned, a hint of desperation now evident in his voice. “She knows I'm dead, I'm sure that –”

“You're not sure of anything,” Edna responded bluntly. “It would do neither of you any good in the long run. It's best to leave things how they are.”

Mikleo hesitated before he spoke. “Right. Sorry about that.”

With guilt-ridden eyes, Lailah spoke again. “Really Mikleo, I do wish that you could –”

“I know. I guess I just got caught up in the idea of her seeing me again.”

Silently, the others watched as he walked ahead of them a little, obviously needing some space away from them. Sorey felt an urge to jog to catch up to him, but held himself back. Now was definitely not the time he wanted to overstep boundaries.

“It sure is a tough thing to accept,” Rose ended up saying quietly. “I'm still struggling with it even after all this time.”

“But I'm sure he'll pull through,” Alisha contributed, managing a smile at Sorey. “He's strong.”

Sorey nodded slowly, his heart heavy as he averted his gaze to Mikleo. These eyes widened when he had a sudden rush of dread, anxiety hitting him in the chest in an instant moment –

“ _Mikleo!”_ he shouted, quickening to a run towards Mikleo, who spun round quickly at the shout of his name. A gun which had been modified to purify hellions was pulled out from underneath his shirt, strapped to himself and hidden, whilst his other arm wrapped around Mikleo and kept him turned away from the direction of where they were heading. He jumped at the sound of Sorey's gun firing, craning his head over his shoulder to see that it had plunged straight into the chest of a large hound, which had seemed to bound into their view out of nowhere, much larger than what they had faced the first time they came across its kind.

Mikleo turned properly to face it with wide eyes, cursing at himself silently for being so unfocused. The arm remained around him as Sorey aimed his gun again, eyes flashing with determination, yet he was interrupted by a bellow from above their heads.

“ _Vengeant Fangs!”_

The beast was caught up in the fury of wind, the one who had performed the arte now using his wings to settle himself down onto the paving.

“Well, do what you guys do and purify the thing,” said the voice of Zaveid. The others were shocked at his appearance; a deep bruise covered one eye, whilst numerous cuts and scratches littered his bare torso. Lailah finished the purification on the weak hellion on the floor without taking her eyes off him.

“Whatever happened to you?” she asked with concern, a hand immediately reaching over to heal him.

“A beautiful lady such as yourself showing worry for me? Sure is my lucky day!”

“She asked you a question, so _don't_ ignore her,” Edna said fiercely. “What did this?”

Zaveid sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, it's nice to see you too. It was Eizen, all right? We got in another little fight.”

“On your own?” Dezel questioned. “And you're not in worse shape?”

“That's the thing,” Zaveid continued, his voice strangely serious. “Eizen wasn't the same as he's been before. He was … different. Weakened, I should call it. It seems like he's been injured.”

“By another angel, maybe?” Mikleo questioned, receiving a shrug in return.

“That's what I'd like to know.” Zaveid smiled widely, startling Mikleo by bringing him into a hug. “Good to see you awake now, anyway.”

“Great to be awake, even if it means I have to look at you being half-naked,” he joked, smiling back as they broke apart. “And to add to that, I've also got my memories back.”

Zaveid's eyes widened before he clapped Mikleo on the shoulder, causing him to rub it afterwards. “That's my boy, getting through that! So you remember how we met, huh…?”

“Yes,” Mikleo replied, smirking. “Helpless Zaveid getting pinned to the floor by an angel half his size.”

“Edna is scary, you know!”

“Damn right I am,” she responded, causing the others to laugh. With the addition of Zaveid, they began to walk again, filling him in on Sorey's move and about their retrieval of the Divine Artefact.

“I've missed on out on a lot!” Zaveid exclaimed. “I've just spent so much time following Eizen around that I've not had time to head to Ladylake.”

“You said he was weakened, right?” Edna questioned, her voice a little quiet. She had thought she had felt something in her body, but it was hard to feel Eizen's pain from a long distance. “How much so?”

“I'd say enough for us to take him down once Mikleo's recovered. In fact, we probably wouldn't all need to be there, but it's best to be safe.”

She nodded slowly, knowing what this meant. The time for putting a stop to her brother's chaos was arriving sooner than she would have expected. After countless years of suffering because of him, it should have made her happy. Yet it didn't. All she felt was pain over the thought that she would truly never see Eizen again.

Zaveid noticed his immediately, wrapping an arm around her and bringing her closer with a hand on her arm. She grumbled in protest, yet she didn't pull away. The others remained silent, knowing that it was Zaveid's comfort right now which was what was best for her.

It was clear now just how much each of them had suffered from loss.

 

* * *

 

 

With the knowledge of Eizen's state, which Zaveid had stated seemed like it would not heal properly for a long time, the group began to train vigorously in order to make sure they were successful. In a way, it could have been seen as a challenge which would rise their power in order to take down Heldalf. But this task was much more emotional than that of taking down a hellion. It was wrong to call Eizen a step towards their later victory, for he wasn't the same as Heldalf, who knew of his wrongdoings. This was a monster who was once a man, all of his mind lost.

Even Edna was training immensely, which shocked the others considering they hadn't planned to bring her. However, it was not a bad thing; even if she resulted in being unable to harm Eizen herself, at least she had become powerful. Mikleo was naturally the other concern. Using water artes seemed to still be draining him, though as the weeks passed, it became less so than previously. Whilst he was fragile, he certainly had fight left in him. The others were certain, if they hadn't already been so before, that nothing would ever bring him down.

Mikleo joining them in the battle was useful alongside how dangerous it would be. After all, if he would be able to achieve Armatization with Sorey, they could stop Eizen using his wings to his advantage, for Zaveid had told them his speed was still incredible even with his injuries. If they could maximise the power of the Divine Artefact, then it would be much easier to bring him down.

However, so far, Armatization had been unsuccessful. Each time they attempted it, they were left collapsed on the floor, gasping desperately for breath. It was beginning to seem impossible. Regardless of this worry, Lailah informed them that with a group so large, they would likely be able to take Eizen down without the Armatization. This gave them a little more hope, though Mikleo was still left feeling useless. His insecurity had always been an issue for him and had only increased with his damage.

“ _You'll_ always _be useful._ _”_

It was hard to believe Sorey's words. After all, he certainly had less capability than he did before in regards to fighting. However, he still took pride in his healing, at the very least. It seemed as though it was his healing artes which strained him the least out of all his powers.

Rose and Alisha were making incredible progress, too. They were learning to wield their preferred weapons incredibly quickly, both born naturals with using them. It was also useful that Lailah had modified Alisha's pistol, just as she had done so with Sorey's. This would allow her to resort to it if necessary. Neither had attempted Armatization yet, Lailah voicing her concern that she believed they hadn't been Squires long enough to handle the intensity of it. Yet it barely mattered; they were still strong fighters on their own.

The time was soon drawing near with increasing tension. They knew it was, for their training seemed as though it wouldn't reach much further than it had already done, mostly for the angels with their countless years' worth of experience. As time passed, Edna seemed to become quieter, the looming dread of losing her brother weighing down on her. Though she soon realised she had already lost him. Death seemed to be the kindest solution for his life.

“Up in the mountains,” Zaveid piped up one day as the group were sat in the Meadow of Triumph, resting after a session of training. They had been able to feel his presence whilst travelling around, and Zaveid saw it as his duty to specify this location. “That's where he is right now. Resting, no doubt.”

“Should we go?” Sorey questioned, eyes drifting to Edna for a moment, whose form had suddenly appeared smaller.

“We couldn't possibly be more prepared than we are now,” Lailah said, rising to her feet. “We've battled hellion after hellion, and the coast seems clear for now … I reckon now is our chance.”

“What about you?” Sorey asked Mikleo, turning to him. “Are you ready for it?”

He nodded. “I still think I might recover more over time, but who knows how long that'll take? The fact that Symonne or any others haven't attacked us yet is worrying me, too. I think we need to take down Eizen as soon as possible.”

“Okay, but stay close to me. I don't want you to exert yourself.”

“Thank you, Sorey. I will.”

“What about you two?” Dezel asked Rose and Alisha. “You're the least trained out of all of us. Are you sure you can take down a devil?”

“He's not as powerful as that Heldalf guy, right?” Rose questioned. “So we need to get through this, at least. If we can't then we're not powerful enough. It's as simple as that.”

Alisha nodded and said, “I agree. Now is the best time. Numbers are on our side, and I'm sure we'll be successful.”

Edna was the last to be confronted. Zaveid knelt in front of her, causing her eyes to avert upwards to him. He rested a hand on her knee, his expression and voice serious. “And most importantly, what about you?” he asked quietly. “Because if you can't come with us, it's absolutely fine.”

He was slightly surprised over her shaking her head. “No, I'll come with you. If I find that I can't face him myself, I can at least heal you all or something.” She paused, hugging her knees to her chest. “Besides, he's suffering like he is now. I understand that we have to end that.”

Zaveid patted her head, pain evident in his eyes. “It really is for the best.” He then rose to his feet and announced, “We should get going, then. It'll be about an hour's drive.”

The others agreed, and before long, they were once again in their respectable cars, Zaveid taking a seat by Dezel in Rose and Alisha's. Both parties were silent. It was difficult to make conversation with such a dreadful task waiting for them. Instead, all their minds were running wild with an endless amount of questions. Would they all survive? Even if they did, what if Eizen escaped? How was Edna going to fare upon seeing her brother's murder? Neither could be answered until they fought, and it left each of them feeling restless, hearts pounding inside their ribcage.

After their tense journeys where time had seemed to pass slowly, the groups parked in an area at the base of the mountains. Even in August's heat, the landscape beyond them was dark and dreary, not a single ray of sunshine escaping through the clouds in the sky. It seemed fitting for what they were about to do.

“Careful,” Zaveid said as he put a foot on the cliff in front of him. “It gets a bit narrow at times.”

The group began to ascend upwards, eyes constantly peeled for danger, hardly risking to blink. Their ears paid attention to any noise around them. But so far, the scene had been all but silent, aside from a wind which seemed to steadily grow harsher whistling in their ears.

“Sure wants us to exercise, huh?” Rose joked quietly. She smiled at the amusement she could see on the others' faces, for she knew that it meant their tension was eased slightly, yet of course, not one of them stopped concentrating.

They soon seemed to be reaching the peak of the mountain, and all could feel the difference as they got closer.

“Malevolence,” Lailah murmured. “It's strong.”

They were all soon tightening their grips on their weapons, the air feeling heavy on their lungs. But by now, they had all become much more accustomed to malevolence. Each ignored the discomfort as they continued their steady climb, bracing themselves further once the peak came into view.

The fact that the air had been filled with so much malevolence made it hardly a surprise to see the hunched over form of a monster crouching in the distance, his horrifying wings draped over him.

“Perhaps he's sleeping?” Alisha whispered in a voice they could barely hear.

“No,” Dezel muttered back. “I can hear him. He's growling.”

This was made clear when they stepped closer, his head shooting up and startling them; Rose and Alisha's let out shocked cries, having never seen the terrifying sight of a devil before.

“He really is still injured,” Edna said quietly as she saw that there was a large slash through one of his wings, dried blood staining his tattered clothing, now able to feel a faint, dull pain within her body. A much more audible growl escaped him, a sign that even with these injuries, he was still at the height of aggression. Zaveid held an arm out in front of Edna.

“If you don't think you can fight, stay back,” he murmured, before immediately charging an arte, his breath inhaled deeply as he focused. _“Horizon Storm!”_

The others had to tense their leg muscles in order to not stumble from the fierceness of the attack, the earth and wind around them combining in chaos as the arte slammed into Eizen, receiving a roar of pain. Rose had reacted in an instant; with her close range attacks from duelling with two knives, she knew it was dangerous to fight, yet also knew that her opportunity would be whilst he's hurt.

However, despite the strength of the attack, Eizen still seemed to have focus; only a few swipes of her knife attacked him before he lashed out at her. Sharp instincts caused her to jump back, but she hissed from a scratch on her arm. Dezel had reacted immediately, wincing slightly himself from her pain as he trapped Eizen in a fury of wind.

“Lailah, Mikleo!” he shouted at them behind him, the two immediately responding by combining their artes; just as they hit their target, Sorey had leaped forward and slashed his sword downwards, jumping back afterwards in case Eizen lashed out again. His face contorted with anger, a black mist beginning to charge around him, which Zaveid immediately reacted to.

“Step back!” he bellowed at the others, using his own wings to bring him back. The others followed in his lead, the explosion of an arte around Eizen just scraping each of their bodies, each of them wincing. Edna was quick to respond. She held out her umbrella, trying to keep herself calm despite how she could faintly feel her brother's pain.

“ _Healing circle,”_ she spoke calmly, watching as the light formed around each member of the party. They had no time to thank her; Eizen was leaping forward, this time aiming for Sorey. It was a strong jet of water and a strike of Alisha's spear which forced him back, but in a blind rage, he didn't fall back with defeat; his hand was instead clutching at Dezel's throat from behind him, squeezing it before throwing him to the ground, instantly turning on his heel and blasting an arte at Rose from behind, who had been trying to get to Dezel's aide.

“ _Rose!”_ Alisha screamed, running to her side and trying to pull her back. Lailah was in front of them immediately, throwing several talismans in front of her and shielding them with a burning veil of fire.

“He's getting overwhelmed,” Sorey said, swiftly dodging Eizen's claws and retaliating with his sword. “It's making him angrier.”

“Step back a moment!” Mikleo called to Rose and Alisha. “Sorey, Armatize with Lailah. We can't afford him losing control.”

Sorey nodded, glancing over at Lailah to see if she had heard. Her eyes fixed on him confirmed this, and whilst Dezel, Zaveid and Mikleo focused on keeping Eizen back, Sorey's own eyes closed as he focused on Lailah. After already Armatizing with her in the past, he found it much easier to feel her near him.

“ _Fethmus Mioma!”_

The transformation occurred instantly, Sorey not sparing a single moment as the grip on his sword tightened and he directed an attack across Eizen's chest. An inhumane scream was let out in return, but neither Sorey nor Lailah flinched; with a leap back, Eizen's attack was dodged. But like with Sorey, Eizen wasn't taking a moment of hesitation; he roared as another arte escaped him, the angels around him taking the full force, with no chance to move out of the way due to surprise.

Sorey managed to land on his feet, a hand scraping painfully across the ground as he was pushed back, Lailah's voice immediately speaking out in panic in his head. _“Are you okay?”_

“Yeah, I'm fine, it's –”

His words faded as he saw that Dezel, Zaveid and Mikleo were struggling off the ground. With Rose and Alisha immediately returning to fight in the stead of the wind guardians, Sorey was immediately by Mikleo's side, resting a hand on his back with his eyes widening from the coughing.

“I'm fine,” he gasped before Sorey even had a chance to speak, shooting shards of ice at Eizen as soon as he saw that he was about to launch an attack at Alisha. Sorey opened his mouth, not accepting the words, but he calmed as soon as both he and Mikleo felt the soothing of Edna's healing arte on them, unable to heal them completely, but certainly assisting.

“Be careful,” Sorey murmured, stepping away. “I don't want you dying on me.”

“With the amount of times I've escaped death, I'm _really_ not going to do that now.”

Sorey managed a grin of amusement, before he and Lailah were once again charging a fury of fire, slamming the arte into Eizen as soon as Alisha and Rose backed away, the latter clutching a bleeding arm. To Sorey and Lailah's surprise, who had thought they'd have the upper hand, Eizen dashed out of the way at incredible speed and was immediately clutching a hand around Sorey's neck, pinning him down into the ground, claws puncturing the skin.

“ _Sorey!”_ Mikleo and Edna both screamed simultaneously, shocked at Sorey's reaction; he broke off his Armatization to save Lailah, leaving her tumbling to the floor next to him as his hands grasped at Eizen's wrist in an attempt to pull him away.

“Don't just think about me!” Lailah cried, in the process of conjuring an arte, but Eizen's other hand swiped her away strongly, before he then blasted an arte around him, knocking the others back. Clearly, Eizen's strategy was to at least kill one of the opponents attacking him as opposed to take them all down at once, his hand squeezing at Sorey's throat tighter. He gasped for breath, a rush of dizziness taking over his mind, his vision beginning to darken. The grip on Eizen's wrist slowly loosened, and for a moment, he wondered if this was it, if after everything, he really was going to die from one of the burdens he had accepted upon his journey as a Shepherd.

The morbid thought was destroyed as quickly as it had formed. Though he wasn't sure what had caused it, with roar etched in intense pain, he was thrown back off Sorey, leaving him turning on his side and spluttering, head turning to see what had been behind him. His eyes widened as a smile broke out on his face.

Rose, with her hair the same blonde and length as Sorey's was during his own Armatization, hovered in the air by magnificent wings tinted with green, ribbons of the same green attached to the back of the skirt floating in the air around her. With her hands held out to either side, swords danced behind her, and she gave Sorey a triumphant grin.

“Being helpless like that really doesn't suit you, you know!” she called, before darting forward and now shifting her hands in front of her, charging one of the swords straight into Eizen. He had attempted to dodge, but only managed to do so a small amount; the sword instead plunged into his shoulder. A cry escaped him, his only way to retort being to fly upwards into the air and take advantage of his speed, both Rose and Zaveid soon following him. The others watched from below, seeing that even now, it was difficult to keep up with him.

“Sorey,” Mikleo said from behind him. His eyes were worn, yet they had a flash of determination in them which caused Sorey's worries to fade. He nodded, taking Mikleo's hand and squeezing it firmly, both of their eyes closing.

Both could see it. The fact that between them, there was more than just the Sub Lord bond Sorey was able to see when Armatizing with the others. There was something else within the darkness, too; perhaps it was a red string of fate, or even just something they were imagining. But even if this bond was something from their imagination, it didn't seem any less real. They focused on these bonds between them, ears blocking out everything but Lailah's encouraging voice.

“ _Breathe deeply… You can both do this, you're strong enough.”_

They were. Even after the pain they had both been through all of their lives, even with Mikleo's damage, they were still both strong, and even more so whilst reunited. They were truly one heart in two bodies, so surely, it was only natural that they achieve what they needed to.

Neither had to say when to shout out Mikleo's True Name; they both knew when the time was right, inhaling deeply and focusing their minds just slightly further.

“ _Luzrov Rulay!”_

A flash of light emanated from where Sorey was standing, and he could immediately feel the power of water surge through him. His now bright blue eyes opened slowly, looking down at his hand with a grin, before their acquired bow appeared in it.

“ _You hanging in there?”_ Mikleo's voice rang in his mind.

“Of course!” Sorey grinned.

“ _I'll focus on aiming, you fire when I say to.”_

“Right,” he nodded, the bow now aiming itself into the air. He allowed Mikleo's focus to break through, feeling his arms shift as Mikleo put the bow into position. After glancing down at what he was doing, both Rose and Zaveid took the opportunity to conjure chains which wrapped around Eizen. Knowing that they wouldn't be able to hold him for long, the grip on the bow grew, eyes narrowing with focus.

“ _Now!”_

A beautifully illuminated arrow plunged straight into Eizen's chest. After every attack which had hit into him, this seemed to be the last he could stand; the chains were vanished immediately as Eizen plummeted down to the ground, the sound from the heavy impact echoing. Zaveid and Rose landed, the latter breaking her Armatization with Dezel whilst panting, watching as Zaveid aimed the barrel of Siegfried against Eizen's head, which was bleeding against the floor.

“W-Wait...” Edna, who had been silent for so long, whispered as she forced herself forward.

“No, Edna,” Zaveid said quietly, pressing the gun closer to Eizen's temple. “This ends now.”

“I know,” she whispered, tears beginning to fall down her face. “I just need to say goodbye.”

Not one of her comrades tried to stop her; after all, it was clear that Eizen had no energy to pick himself up off the ground any longer. His breathing was heavy and slow, as though he was dying. Edna could feel physically that he was. The pain which seemed to cover his entire existence was evident deep inside her; not enough to cause her to be paralysed from it, but enough so she could sense how much pain her brother was in.

“I'll always remember who you once were,” she whispered, voice heartbroken as she crouched down next to him, placing a kiss against his forehead. “I love you.”

She rose back to her feet, having to turn away. Lailah was immediately stepping forward, allowing Edna's head to rest sideways against her chest as her hands covered her ears. It wasn't enough to stop Edna from hearing the sound of a trigger being pulled back, the sound ringing in her ears. Edna's body began to tremble violently, now being pulled into a proper hug, a hand brushing through her hair.

“It's over now,” Zaveid murmured, returning his gun to its holster. “He doesn't have to suffer anymore.”

Mikleo, who had broken away from Sorey, stumbled with exhausted legs towards Edna, joining in the hug as he murmured comforting words into Edna's ear. Zaveid, who wanted to do this himself, could only stand and watch. He had murdered countless devils and hellions during his lifetime. Yet this was the first time he felt truly and entirely guilty, for even though he knew it was for the best, he couldn't stand to see Edna cry.

This guilt only escalated when she suddenly broke apart from the hug, eyes looking around her wildly. Her lips quivered, hands clenching into fists as she lowered her head.

“Edna?” Lailah said softly. The gentleness of her voice caused Edna to break out into louder sobs, an arm resting over her eyes.

“I heard his voice,” she sobbed, her whole body shaking. “He thanked us … thanked us for _killing_ him...”

Lailah's eyes widened in horror, as did that of the others. They were unsure of what to say to her. Perhaps his death would have been much easier to cope with if he had simply died, his soul not speaking out to them at all. Yet Edna had heard the voice she had been longing to hear for countless years. It was a voice she had only wanted to hear from him living.

“Come here,” Mikleo said quietly, pulling her back into a hug. The grip on his clothes was so tight that her fingers dug into the skin underneath, yet he didn't tell her to loosen her grip. He simply held her, a hand stroking her back at the base of her wings, just as Sorey had done continuously to him.

It would have been best for Edna to take as much time as she needed to mourn. It only seemed far after the pain she had just been through. Yet Zaveid spoke out quietly, having no choice but to do so.

“Is it just me,” he said slowly, “or has the malevolence here not lessened properly, yet?”

The others looked around immediately from this words. Their sorrow for Edna soon combined with fear and anxiety; though it was hard to see through thick dust being carried by the wind, broken up by their fighting, they were still able to make out the shape of black wings of demons in the distance.

“There must be at least ten,” Alisha said quietly, immediately stepping closer to Rose in a protective manner. “Even though we've all used our energy, there's …”

Her words trailed off, yet she had already voiced the panic of those besides her. With Edna now frozen in Mikleo's hold, who had to release one of his arms to hold his hand out to the side, they were now conjuring their weapons, praying silently that their remaining energy would be enough to survive this ambush.


	23. Bringing of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ambush of demons leaves Lailah stating what they must do next; bringing their inevitable fight ahead closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God, why so many words? I'd really appreciate some feedback if you have time, it was tough writing this much!
> 
> There's a little more sexual content in this chapter, but only a small amount. I didn't want to write the scene explicitly being as I want to focus more on the emotional attachments. Like last time, feel free to skip if it makes you uncomfortable.
> 
> Enjoy!

With an instinct to protect his soul-mate, Sorey held his sword in front of Mikleo and Edna once it was brandished, he and the others coming closer together around them. They were all concerned that Mikleo had pushed himself too much to fight more, whilst Edna would hardly be in the state to fight after witnessing her brother's death. Tears were still staining her face even now.

“We can do this,” Lailah said quietly, her eyes scanning the demons drawing nearer to them. “I've not seen any of these before; they must not be as powerful.”

“Focus on healing us,” Zaveid said to Edna and Mikleo. “It's too dangerous to do anything else.”

And with those words, the group dispersed, immediately leaping forward to begin taking on the enemies around them. They were now glad that the entire party had left for this fight; whilst they weren't evenly matched and were even less so with the troubled state of Mikleo and Edna, they were at least able to split up enough so that one person wasn't taking on more than two demons at a time.

It appeared that Lailah's words about the demons were in fact correct; they seemed to hold a power much weaker than their's, not able to compare well to Lunarre. However, their numbers did pose a threat; with their inexperience, Rose and Alisha seemed to be struggling the most. After thrusting her spear in front of her, Alisha had to jump back to recuperate; luckily, Rose had only been fighting one demon, and so had been able to throw him back whilst she assisted her wife.

To her right, Zaveid and Dezel were combining their wind artes to take on the four demons which have come together to fight them. One of the demons jumped out of the way with a snarl, an arte soon being charged to smash into Dezel's chest, but Zaveid pulled him out of the way just in time.

“Listen to the wind,” he instructed. “Don't you dare fall victim to your eyes now!”

“Like I'm going to do that,” Dezel said in response, sending a fury of wind to the demon who had attacked him. Zaveid's gaze was now shifting to Lailah, who had conjured a mighty vortex of fire which had caught up two demons in front of her. Sorey, who had just fought back his own, used the opportunity to slash his sword at them through the fire.

“Sorey, behind you!” Mikleo yelled. Sorey turned wildly, blocking a fist with his sword, finding that one of the demons he had knocked to the ground recovered sooner than anticipated. Both he and Mikleo were now noticing the other was soon recovering too, and despite being told to rest, Mikleo had no choice but to send shards of ice to protect Sorey.

Though she had been the one to be held moments ago, Edna was now holding onto Mikleo, staring at him with wide eyes. “Don't! You've already used enough power!” she said in a panic, staring at his dazed eyes.

“B-But … Sorey …”

“I'm fine, Mikleo!” Sorey called over to him, and he turned out to be so. He was soon taking a deep breath as he remembered what Lailah had taught him during his training, what he had seen the angels do themselves. With power built up inside him, he bellowed, _“_ Howling blades, _Bolt Tempest!”_

Both of the demons were caught up in the fury of the Mystic Arte and were left lying on the floor afterwards. For a moment, they both struggled to get to their feet, but soon had to give in to their defeat and fell down on the floor. For one brief moment, Sorey had pictured himself finishing them off, but he held himself back and was now joining Rose and Alisha. The latter was holding onto Rose with one, calling a thank you to Edna who had healed their injuries as she pointed her spear at the demons.

“We could use a little help,” she said breathlessly. Sorey didn't need to be told of this; he was immediately slashing at the demons whilst the girls caught their breath, his eyes glancing for a moment at the preoccupied angels. Armatization would be useful, but there were still a fair amount of demons even after Sorey taking two of them out, and it was hard to find an opening, especially with him not wanting Mikleo to force himself into Armatization again and also not wanting Edna to Armatize, either.

Apparently Lailah was thinking the same as Sorey, for after fighting off demons in front of her, she turned to Dezel.

“Armatize with Rose!” she called, not wanting to chance her Armatizing with anyone else due to the bond between Guardian Angel and Squire strengthening their chance of success. “Sorey, you help back up Alisha!”

Sorey nodded, him and Alisha now giving Rose an opening to close her eyes and breathe deeply before shouting, _“_ _Lukeim Yurlin!”_

She was now once again hovering in the air by magnificent wings. Though she was breathing slightly heavily, she seemed able to manage this Armatization, her and Dezel's power soon fighting back against the demons she had been struggling against with her wife, before she flew over to Lailah and assist with who she was fighting against. Their combination of artes succeeded; the two demons Lailah had been facing now also defeated on the floor. This cut down their opponents to a much more manageable six.

However, alongside this relief, there was panic; Sorey's head spun round at the sound of a cry from Edna. His eyes fell upon Mikleo on the ground and Edna standing in front of him panting, clutching a bleeding shoulder. It was clear that she had pushed him out of the way of an arte.

She was now being held up by her neck by a demon which had escaped from the battle with the others, a grin growing on her face as she squeezed, shooting an arte down at Mikleo to stop him from helping her. Reacting on fast instincts, Sorey met Edna's eye, the latter's head inclining just slightly in confirmation that she was now feeling able to join the fight.

“ _Hephsin Yulind!”_ he shouted, the demon clutching at Edna's neck cursing loudly when she faded into a wisp and Sorey's body was now flashing. Not wanting to waste time, the demon tried to take the chance to attack Mikleo, who was shielding himself with his staff, but she wasn't quick enough; the large first following Sorey's right arm was soon slamming into her, causing her to roll backwards against the ground and fall over the edge of the cliff, just barely able to use her wings to get her to safety before she fell to the floor, panting and scarce of energy.

“You okay?” Sorey asked Mikleo, who was getting up off the ground.

“Yeah,” he replied breathlessly, eyes casting over to the others. “I'm worried about Alisha. I think her and Lailah are trying to Armatize, but it just won't work.”

Sorey followed Mikleo's gaze, finding that he was correct; Lailah and Alisha were forced to dodge an attack, Alisha looking panicked.

“Why won't it work?” she was asking Lailah, fending off a demon with her spear.

“I can't be sure,” Lailah responded, striking the enemies in front of her with a fireball. “Perhaps you don't yet have the experience.”

Alisha seemed disheartened but didn't let it ruin her concentration, though Sorey was worried for how she was faring; her right leg seemed to be struggling to keep her upright.

“Alisha, stay by Mikleo!” Sorey called to her.

She nodded, Sorey taking her place as she hurried as quickly as she could to Mikleo. “You don't have to do that whilst you have such little energy!” she exclaimed as he rested on his knees to heal her leg, his breathing heavy.

“It's only one healing arte,” he panted. “It's better to get this healed, otherwise it'd put you in more danger.”

She couldn't argue against this, thanking him once he had finished. Their eyes went back to the others, great relief washing over them as they did so; after jumping in opposite directions to dodge a black-coloured arte, Zaveid and Rose were now blasting wind into the enemy, whilst Sorey had Lailah's flames surrounding one fist and was plummeting it into the enemy.

“They've done it,” Mikleo whispered as the demons plummeted to the ground, unconscious. “They've actually … _what?!”_

Alisha let out a scream when she saw what had caused his exclamation; his head was now rising as a black shadow in the shape of a sharp knife floated at the base of his throat, the point of it piercing the skin lightly.

“Now, now. I won't hurt him as long as you listen to me.”

The group turned at the sound of the cold voice, all eyes landing on Symonne, who was now stood on the edge of the cliff, white wings blowing in the wind behind her.

“Get rid of that thing!” Sorey shouted, now parting from Edna so he could march forward, but his movements halted when she caused the knife to move slightly closer, Mikleo wincing slightly as a bead of blood formed underneath the pointed edge.

“Not one other step. No more Armatizing. I merely just want to talk. Those demons you faced were weak, none holding even half the power that Lunarre or I have, and especially not of that of my master. However … to defeat them after you fought that devil, I can't say that's not impressive.”

“Why are you saying this?” Lailah asked. “Why visit us alone after so long of not making a move?”

“Not making a move?” Symonne echoed, letting out a laugh. “Please. I'm not stupid enough to make every move happen right in front of your face, you know. No. Not every move I make is so open to everyone's eyes. You'll see when the time comes for you to face us. And trust me, you will lose.”

“Oh, yeah?” Zaveid ended up saying, chuckling. “I don't find that much of a threat when you hide behind the legs of –”

“Don't provoke her, you idiot!” Edna screamed at him, eyes diverting back to the knife at Mikleo's neck, but it hadn't moved any closer. Symonne was merely laughing again; the sound could easily send a chill down snyone's spine.

“It's all right. We'll see if I'm truly hiding behind my Lord's legs when the time comes for us to fight. Keep on training. It'll make our victory all that more satisfying.”

Symonne then vanished back to Hell without another word, the knife from the base of Mikleo's neck disappearing. Sorey was running over to him in an instant, pulling him into his arms.

“Are you okay? Did it –”

“I'm fine, I highly doubt she would have killed me so suddenly,” Mikleo said, returning the hug. He then spoke again in a slightly amused tone. “Plus, with how furious you looked, I think you would have somehow managed to stop it anyway.”

“I think it's Rose we've got to be more worried about,” Edna said, the others following her gaze. Rose and Dezel's Armatization had now broken; she was being held by Dezel, breathing heavily.

“I thought Armatizing again so soon might have had an impact,” Lailah said, rushing over to heal minor wounds on her body. “Hang in there, Rose.”

“I'll be fine,” she said, wincing, but she smiled as Alisha held her from the other side. “I feel pretty dizzy, though.”

“It's no wonder.”

“At least we survived with no major injuries,” Zaveid said, glancing over at Edna, close to adding about how they had done so with _physical_ injuries, at least. He didn't have to; Edna's realisation about her brother was soon hitting her once more now that their fight was over.

“We died together,” she said quietly. “In a fire. I thought we'd always stay together, no matter what. And now …”

Her legs suddenly seemed to lose all life; Zaveid, luckily, had seen her swaying and hurried over to catch her. Despite how she usually tried to deny anything affectionate or thoughtful from him, she didn't protest as he lifted her up onto one arm. She wasn't the only one in need of assistance; Sorey's arm was now around Mikleo's shoulders, and Rose seemed to be slipping into unconsciousness. Before long, she had done so, and was now being carried on Alisha's back. It was strange for someone to be so energetic appear this lifeless.

Even with their success, there was still an undeniable amount of tension and dread washing over the group as they began to descend slowly down the mountain, Sorey now carrying Mikleo on his back in a similar fashion to Alisha, scared about him pushing himself.

“We've come a long way,” Lailah spoke up eventually, trying to cause light to shine on the group once again. “We would have never been able to fight such a battle in the past.”

“That's true,” Sorey agreed, also wanting to keep up positivity. “I'm starting to think we might be strong enough to take them on, after all.”

“Oh, we will be,” Lailah said, her voice strangely low compared to usual, which caused the others to look at her in shock. “They have done far too much. Playing with the balance we're supposed to maintain, using the wickedest means to taint Shepherds, killing humans as though their lives mean nothing … We have to, and we will, put a stop to it no matter what. And when we do, we'll be bringing the fight to them.”

“To them?” Mikleo questioning, his eyes widening. “You don't mean –”

“Yes. In Hell.”

“But isn't that the worst thing we could do?” Dezel asked. “Bringing the fight right into their home?”

“That is why we would take them completely off guard. Besides, not all of the demons are rebelling; it is only a small population.”

“Even if it's only small, there's still only a few of us and many of them,” said Sorey.

“That's why we will build an army. An army of angels who are willing to help us and put a stop to this – which, I can assure you, almost all would want to do. That would be more than enough power.”

“Lailah, that's … that's brilliant!” he exclaimed. “I hadn't thought of contacting others!”

“Since our visit to Heaven, I've been able to contact them once again, due to how we have access there now,” Lailah explained, now smiling with satisfaction. “Leave this gathering and how we will get to Hell to me.”

“Where would we be without you, Lailah?” Mikleo questioned, more serious than not. Lailah merely shrugged, the smile which grew seeming to bring confidence to the others, too.

If they could all combine their powers, what was lying ahead of them might just be manageable after all. They could only hope that Lailah's plan would turn out successful.

 

* * *

 

 

It was with a new lease of confidence that they now fought harder than ever. This time, it wasn't just the group who were fighting. Angels who were brave enough to fight were now training in Heaven too, knowing that the terror that Heldalf was building and the malevolence which was steadily increasing across the world had to come to an end. If not, a true Age of Calamity would begin once again, and there would be no hope for them if that was to occur.

Surprisingly, even with her already high amount of experience, the one who seemed to be fighting the hardest was Edna. Driven by rage for the malevolence which had caused her brother to lose himself, she wanted to do everything in her power to make sure that his death hadn't been useless. She took the last words of gratitude which had been uttered into her ear, holding them close to her heart as she continued with a stronger will than ever. Perhaps the knowledge of her brother's suffering had stopped her from reaching her full potential. Now, even though she was mourning, she had a strange new life to her.

“ _He'd be reincarnated before long,”_ she had said. _“It might take a while for his soul to be recycled into something new. But he'll come back.”_

It was the belief that all angels had; in actuality, it was fact as opposed to mere belief. Yet for Edna to believe in it so was inspiring. It made Sorey think about his own parents, how they had died in front of his eyes when he was just ten-years-old, as he had once told Mikleo months prior. Though he had always been positive about them and had always had faith in reincarnation himself, he felt a strange new sense of relief in regards to their deaths. And of course, he thought of himself and Mikleo, how even if they were bound to face troubles, reincarnation was sure to assist them in the end, as long as both survived the upcoming fight. And they would, is what Sorey told himself. They had to.

Of course, Edna wasn't the only one to train vigorously. Even Lailah and Zaveid, who had the most experience, still polished their artes as much as possible and passed on their knowledge to those with less experience. Rose and Alisha were gaining more strength than ever, Lailah stating herself that she had never seen finer Squires. The downfall was that Alisha still had yet to achieve Armatization. Lailah first thought that this was because unlike Rose, Alisha had not grown up with a Guardian Angel watching over her. Rose had a bond with Dezel unlike any other, which Lailah explained would assist with the achievement of them fusing their power. However, Rose was soon able to Armatize with the others, too; like Sorey, who had now practised Armatizing with Dezel, Rose had been Armatizing with each of the angels. The only angel she hadn't yet Armatized with yet was Mikleo, due to how Lailah was concerned that Armatizing with someone other than Sorey, who was connected to him by an unbreakable bond, would be dangerous for him.

The fact that Rose could Armatize with angels other than Dezel meant that Alisha's difficulty to achieve Armatization herself was due to another reason. Lailah now suspected it could have been because Rose had been blessed with such a large resonance since she was a child and had grown up used to angels. But they only had suspicions and nothing more. Alisha, however, remained her positive self. She knew that with the help they were receiving and the fact that Sorey and Rose were still available to Armatize, Alisha herself not being able to achieve the Armatus would not hinder their victory. Whilst she was naturally disappointed, she knew that this was not the time to fall into negativity. She had to stay strong and fight no matter what. She was not going to waste the chance Mikleo had given her by giving in to self-doubt.

Mikleo himself was growing stronger. It was unusual to see how his improvement was occurring; on one hand, he was still not reaching near to how much magic he could use at once before without it reducing him to a perplexed, exhausted state. This was definitely a large concern. Yet alongside this hinder to the amount he could use came an ability to wield stronger artes than ever. Whilst he lost his old potential with his high amount of stamina, he now had a new potential in regards to his strength. He was also learning more martial artes which would use less of his magic, allowing him to make use of the speed and instincts which were returning to him.

This training lasted over a period of two months, anticipation and anxiousness building up all the while, alongside determination. Yet this time did not just bring sessions of intense training. The group now took the opportunity to travel across the land when Alisha, Rose and Sorey were able to book a week off work simultaneously, Sorey forever using the Celestial Record to find new places to explore. They ventured across Rolance, visiting towns and villages they hadn't previously, as well as ruins in which hellions were seeming to be hiding. Not only did this bring the group more experience, it also allowed them to enjoy the history which was laid before them; Sorey and Mikleo in particular enjoyed these experiences, what with their shared interest in the subject. Having this enjoyment allowed them to feel more at ease. Whilst determination fuelled them, staying calm and composed was just as important.

They noticed how much Lailah wandered away from them, too, yet neither were highly concerned. They suspected that she was contacting angels, for Lailah was a very well known angel and would be able to communicate with others well. This was true and Lailah did certainly venture away from the others to contact them and to receive updates on their training. However, there was another reason which caused her to leave them, one she could not dare to explain.

She walked onto the silent Great Camelot Bridge, a place which had once been used by civilisation and allowed vehicles to cross it, but had been bordered off after an attack unknown to humans; a rage of hellions had been sent there to cause chaos, just one of many disasters caused by the increase of malevolence in the world, and even years after this event, the bridge still reeked of an aftermath of malevolence. Even demons did not visit this place due to how lifeless it had became and how there was no use in being there.

“I'm glad you received my message again,” said the voice of Michael, who was sat on the cracked border of the bridge. “How is everyone faring?”

“Very well,” Lailah answered as she sat beside him. The malevolence in the air no longer seemed to affect her, she couldn't help but notice. If anything, this was a great thing considering Hell would be swarmed with it. “The angels who have agreed to help us are really becoming stronger. Of course, all angels are taught artes and basic fighting skills, so them working on these already existing skill means they were able to become stronger than I hoped.”

“That's great to hear. I'm sure this plan of yours will bring success.”

 

“I do hope so. What about things your end? Have you managed to come into contact with demons who want to fight those rebelling?”

“I have, yes. One thing I've always been blessed with is the natural gift of intuition and observation; I can trust those I've found completely, and these demons will be able to take groups of angels to Hell at once. Of course, I recommend not doing so all at once. It's important that you're dispersed, allowing you to make your move without being caught and for angels to keep demons at bay whilst the Shepherd and those close to him move on to fight Heldalf.”

“Thank you again for your help, Michael,” Lailah smiled, placing a hand on his. “You've done more for me than I would've ever imagined following your death.”

“Like I said before, it's the least I can do.” He looked at the cloudy sky above him, feeling a single drop of rain fall on his face. “We could lose people in this fight,” he said quietly. “Please don't let that be you.”

“I will stop it from being any of us, if I can help it. But … well, I know that it may not be possible to protect everyone."

“If that happens to me –”

“Oh, Michael,” she interrupted gently. “You've been able to escape them for this long. I doubt it'll end now.”

“I'm saying this just in case. If there is any way at all for you to somehow express to Mikleo that I'm sorry and you can get around your oath, please do that. I want him to know how much I regret my actions.”

“You'll get to do that yourself. I'm sure of it.”

Michael only smiled, his face now wetter from rain which was falling a little heavier. “We shall see. After all, death is inevitable for all of us.”

 

* * *

 

 

They all knew that the time they would go through with their mission was drawing nearer. If they left it too long, they risked the other side attacking them before they did so themselves. They had to find the right chance for them to proceed in between a time which would be too soon and leave many unprepared for what was to come, and a time which would be too late. Just over two months after the fateful day of their execution of Eizen and their encounter with Symonne, Lailah seemed as though she wanted to proceed before long.

“I'd say two weeks at the most,” she had said. “I'm concerned over the thought of leaving it any longer.”

With such a short time to wait, the time the group had spent travelling together, laughing and becoming fascinated by ruins, seemed to be long gone. It was hard to imagine that positivity now. All they seemed to exist in was tension. However, it was the trust and bond they had with each other which was helping them to pull through. Their friendship only seemed to be growing stronger as time went on, as was the already existing love between Sorey and Mikleo, if it had been possible to grow any stronger.

“It's been over half a year now since we met,” Sorey said quietly, smiling down at Mikleo, who was lying on his stomach on the sofa, arms and head resting on Sorey's lap, wings a blanket on top of him. He met Sorey's gaze, eyes showing he was focused on listening. “Or at least, since we met the second time. It's strange, isn't?”

Mikleo smiled. “Definitely. The months have flown by.”

“Just look at you now,” Sorey said fondly, fingers brushing lightly through the hair which was spread out on his lap. “This is getting long pretty quickly. You really took what I said about it seriously, didn't you? About how you'd suit it long.”

“Well, I thought it'd be a good look. It's strange how it's getting wavy now it reaches my shoulders, though.”

“It suits you like this,” Sorey smiled, brushing away a few stray strands away from Mikleo's forehead, leaving his circlet completely on display. “Makes you look cuter.”

“And yours is as messy as ever.”

Sorey laughed. “Can't you just thank me for the compliment?”

Mikleo rolled his eyes, resting his head back down properly. “Fine, thank you.”

“That's better,” Sorey said, his hand now rubbing circular motions in the centre of Mikleo's back. His eyes drifted to the TV which droned in the background, but neither were paying attention. They were both somewhere torn between feeling anxiety over their upcoming task and also forgetting everything during this time together, where they were left alone due to Lailah assisting with the last days of training for the angels working with them.

Sorey found himself no longer torn when he focused on Mikleo's face again, whose eyes were now closed. He bent down to kiss the top of Mikleo's head softly, his eyes opening again.

“I wonder how much longer we'll be like this for?” he said quietly.

“Forever, considering we're going to get through this fine.”

Mikleo didn't answer verbally. He slowly rose up from Sorey's lap, wings stretching out for a moment to bring life back into them, before he rested a hand on Sorey's thigh as he brought their lips together, his other hand pushing his hair out of the way behind his ear. Sorey wasn't sure if there was desperation in the kiss or not; Mikleo's lips were gentle, yet his body still seemed a little tense. It began to relax once Sorey's hands under Mikleo's arms had pulled him onto his lap, legs either side of Sorey's. Mikleo's hands now rested on Sorey's shoulders, Sorey's own hands holding onto Mikleo's thighs to bring him a little closer.

His eyes were watery as he pulled back for a moment, the beautiful violet irises glistening. “Are you sure this will be forever?”

Sorey smiled, a thumb rubbing on Mikleo's thigh, the skin exposed from wearing comfortable shorts. “Of course it is. No matter what, we'll always be forever anyway. We're destined like that, right?”

“Right,” Mikleo said, his voice still quiet, but there was a small smile on his own face after those words. He leaned in towards Sorey's lips again, welcoming the tongue which glided across his bottom lip, hands tightening on the straps of Sorey's tank top, Sorey's own hand now trailing underneath Mikleo's shirt. It was warm, yet still caused him to shiver as it stroked lightly over the bottom of his spine.

“That's adorable,” Sorey murmured, breaking apart from his kiss a moment to speak, smiling gently.

“What is?”

“How your wings twitch like that.”

Mikleo blinked, peering over his shoulder for a moment at his wings. “They do? I never really noticed …”

“Natural reaction, then,” Sorey said, Mikleo's body jumping slightly at a deep kiss placed under his ear. “Just like that,” Sorey added, his tone loving. “You still react so cutely.”

“Shut up,” Mikleo muttered, resting his head on Sorey's shoulder for a moment to hide his face. “You're being embarrassing.”

“Sorry.”

He clearly wasn't apologetic in the slightest, and once Mikleo sat back up again, it was clear to see amusement on Sorey's face. He scowled, but it was soon to soften when Sorey was kissing his cheek, before beginning to trail down his neck again, his body shivering once Sorey's lips had reached his collarbone. He failed to hold back a small moan once they sucked down, the hand on his thigh shifting so that it squeezed at his backside. The touch combined with the emotions and worry he had experiencing, and a realisation was soon hitting his chest.

“Woah, hey there,” Sorey said as Mikleo pressed himself closer against Sorey, his head lowered with teeth biting on his lip.

“Sorey, I …” He paused, looking away as his hand brushed his hair behind his ear. “I really am worried that one of us, or even both of us, won't survive this. It's going to be dangerous and I don't think we're all going to come out of this okay.”

“It's normal to have that fear,” Sorey responded in a gentle voice, his hands now holding onto Mikleo a lot gentler, stroking against Mikleo's skin comfortingly. “I have it too, you know. I might be all cheerful and optimistic, but I'm still scared about what's going to happen.”

“I guess we're all scared, really.”

“That's true.”

“And … and the thing is that before we fight, I …” He hesitated again, only able to look at Sorey's eyes for a moment before he turned away again. “I just want us to … Sorey, I really don't want us to have never had the chance to make love before we go into battle. We might not be like this again for so long if one of us …”

Sorey's eyes widened a little. “So you're saying –”

“Yeah,” Mikleo said quietly, nodding. His voice reduced to almost a whisper when he spoke again. “I don't want to miss the chance to be as close to you as possible, and not have death take that away from us.”

Sorey felt a rush of love over the words, yet also a pang of sadness in his chest. “Are you sure? I don't want you to push yourself into anything you're not ready for.”

“I promise I'm not doing that. I've been thinking about this for a while, now. I just love you far, far too much to not have this happen.”

Sorey nodded, cupping Mikleo's face with his hands to give him a gentle kiss. He noticed that Mikleo's lips were quivering slightly, suspecting it was from both nervousness and becoming emotional over his own words. His body seemed to relax under their lips returning to each other once again, legs wrapping around Sorey as he was lifted off the sofa. Not breaking their kiss, Sorey made his way to the door of the master bedroom, pushing down the handle with his elbow before slipping into the room.

Their kiss was broken as Mikleo was placed down onto the bed gently with Sorey hovering above him, smiling gently as a hand stroked down his cheek, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

“You're still sure, right?”

“Of course I am.”

“Just remember that it's fine at any point to change your mind, okay? Just say something and we'll stop straight away.”

Mikleo nodded, feeling grateful. “Okay.”

Yet as Sorey removed his tank top and was now kissing down Mikleo's neck, his hands feeling warmer than ever as they trailed across his torso, Mikleo was beginning to become certain that he wouldn't want them to stop at any time. Once his own shirt had been removed and had allowed Sorey's hands to explore properly, always gentle with him forever making eye contact with Mikleo's responses, he found himself in bliss at how welcoming this sensuality was. With danger looming around the corner, it only brought more meaning to this time together, making Sorey's touch seem much more loving than before.

Sorey smiled from receiving a small whimper muffled partly by Mikleo's hand as a tongue had trailed over his nipple, looking up once more to meet his eyes only to find them closed. “I'll never get over how cute you are, Mikleo.”

“Sappy,” he said quietly, causing Sorey to laugh softly.

“Maybe a little.”

Still, he always found himself unable to make a comment when he heard Mikleo's sounds of pleasure; they did so much more than just turn him on. It was a reassurance to him that Mikleo was truly enjoying himself, not putting himself here because it was what Sorey wanted. They were adorable sounds which seemed to be as pleasant as music, reminding Sorey that this was the one place where he wanted Mikleo to let his guards down, to welcome only the most loving touch on him.

His moans had the same reaction from Sorey as his tongue lapped once again, a hand slipping under Mikleo's trousers, gliding lightly over his underwear. It was when Sorey kisses lowered down to his stomach that his body jerked a little again, which spiked Sorey's curiosity.

“Even your stomach is sensitive?”

“N-No, it tickled,” Mikleo said, letting out a soft laugh as Sorey's fingers tickled lightly at his side. “Don't you dare.”

“Sorry, I couldn't resist,” Sorey grinned. He now lowered his hands, taking note of how Mikleo's breath hitched when they reached the waistband of his shorts. “Are you fine for me to take these off?”

Mikleo nodded, shifting his legs slightly to assist with Sorey pulling them down. Before long, Sorey's own trousers and underwear had been removed, leaving them both bare.

“Again, please tell me if you want to stop at any time.”

“I will,” Mikleo said, nervousness beginning to rise, yet he felt safer as Sorey pressed a light kiss against his lips once more. It was something so simple which reminded him that he was fine to do this, that he wanted for the two of them to become one more than anything in that moment.

What followed this small kiss was slow, as caring and protective as ever. The careful procedure of lubricating his fingers, ensuring that Mikleo wasn't in any pain, not increasing his speed before he had Mikleo reassure him that he was fine, murmuring the most adoring words as Mikleo's body eased its tension and small moans were escaping him … they all made Mikleo realise that this would not be the same with anyone else.

Eventually, Sorey asked if he was fine with more, and he didn't hesitate to say yes, despite the fact that his heart was beginning to beat faster in his rib-cage. Sorey noticed the increase in nerves immediately, feeling Mikleo's body shake beneath him, and he took one of Mikleo's hands for a moment in response to this.

“It's okay to be nervous,” he said, squeezing Mikleo's hand gently. “I am too, you know.”

“You don't seem like it,” Mikleo said quietly. He smiled as Sorey kissed the hand he was holding, which seemed to tremble less from Sorey doing so.

“Even if that's the case, I am. It's you, after all. You're just so beautiful, so _perfect_ that I can't help but be nervous. I want you to feel as amazing as possible.”

Mikleo could feel tears well in his eyes from those words, reaching up to cup Sorey's cheek, his thumb rubbing over its skin.

“I trust that you can do that.”

It was those words which seemed to erase Sorey's own nervousness. He leaned over to the bedside table to retrieve a condom, lowering his head down to kiss Mikleo's lips once more, needing for every single step to make Mikleo feel as though he was completely safe. And as soon as they continued, Mikleo felt just that.

The two coming together was like nothing either had experienced before. The panted breaths, Mikleo's hands gripping onto the pillow by his head, gasped moans – they all seemed to be more passionate from this being between the two of them. Mikleo was beginning to realise that there had been nothing to fear, for pleasure soon took over moments of pain and drove him into ecstasy.

Nothing else seemed to matter during this time; not their battle, not the fear of death or uncertainty about their future. All that mattered was becoming one with each other. Now, at least if their fears came true, they had still reached something this beautiful, making the most of their burning love.

By the time they had finished, both breathless with their temperatures running high, a couple of tears had escaped Mikleo's eyes. But he was smiling, bringing Sorey down for a deep kiss, so it was clear that it had been joy which had brought those tears.

“You okay?” Sorey asked as they broke apart, wiping the tears away from Mikleo's face. His smile grew, holding his hand over Sorey's.

“I've never been better,” he responded in a soft voice. “No matter what happens, Sorey, I'll always love you.”

Sorey smiled back as he rested his forehead against Mikleo's, certain that tears would easily come to him, too. “I love you, too.”

After cleaning themselves with wipes, they were soon in each other's arms with Mikleo's usual protective action of encasing them in the feathers of his wings, their breathing soon growing heavy as both fell into a slumber.

 

* * *

 

 

Their plans continued to be kept in secrecy. Word was spread to other angels about proceeding with them. They all knew that in order to not be caught and for the ambush to run smoothly, they needed to arrive separately with small intervals in between. Lailah couldn't explain how exactly she had received the help of demons to help groups travel to Hell because of her receiving assistance from Michael, but luckily, the others were not one to question Lailah too much, and were used to the fact that she seemed to be able to accomplish anything in secret.

She had wanted Michael to be the one who would transport Sorey's group to Hell, in order for him to have the chance to meet Mikleo, but he spoke sensibly about this idea. It would cause too much of a distraction for Mikleo to be faced with his previously abusive uncle once again, and for Sorey too, who definitely didn't need another reason to feel malevolent. Lailah understood, accepting this words instantly. She had merely got caught up in hope.

Before long, the groups were prepared. Lailah smiled at the demon assisting them, who curtly nodded his head in return, before she turned to Sorey and the angels in front of her.

“Whilst our plans may have only completely came into play two months ago,” she began, “we have been preparing for this for much longer. A quarter of a century ago marked the time when Heldalf, a man who got caught in the faults of his life and turned to evil because of it, began his reign over demons. Since those years ago, we have been preparing for the day we may have to face him, knowing that it is inevitable. We must stop him before it is too late. We must take back the world we wish to be peaceful.

“The Shepherd will guide us,” she continued as she walked towards him, smiling. “In comparison to how long other Shepherds had tackled their duties before retirement, you have not actually been the Shepherd for very long. You have impressed me more than I can say with how far you've come. You accepted your fate without a doubt, grew closer to those around you,” she paused for a moment as she looked at Mikleo with a smile, “and in the process, became a strong, incredible man. I know that it is your hand which is what will help us destroy this Lord of Calamity.”

“Thank you, Lailah,” Sorey replied. “I'm grateful for you having so much faith in me.”

“I have always had faith in you, and always will. But there is one thing that I need you to remember, as well as everyone else.” She paused for a moment as she contemplated how to say her following words. “It is within all of our nature to not harm others. Or at least, to do so as little as possible and _only_ when necessary. Heldalf … well, he was human. But he's gone too far to become one again. I need everyone to see him as the monster he has become and _not_ what he used to be. No matter what he went through, no matter the personal feelings you may have about this, he must be killed. Others may very well have to be killed, too. It is the only way now.”

Sorey nodded and the others nodded. “We know, don't worry.”

“I just had to ensure that was the case. Now, everyone, I need you to hold hands,” Lailah said, taking the demon's hand. “Sorey, if you would take his other.”

He did so, his other hand reaching for Mikleo's, instinctively giving it a small squeeze as he did so. Alisha was soon taking Mikleo's other hand, Rose and Dezel following her before finally, the circle was complete with Zaveid and Edna finishing it off.

The demon then began to speak out a much different incantation to what Lailah had done; upon speaking an Ancient Tongue which differed to that of the angels, all of their eyes closed. Yet even with them being unable to see, they could still sense power surging from beneath their feet; a pentagram was forming underneath them, drawing out in a crimson line before it flashed and turned to deep black.

Following this came the returned sensation of like they were in the dreamlike state before death, only where they were being brought to was much less inviting, their instincts being to pull away. Yet they didn't, instead focusing their minds of reaching to the place their bodies were being transported to. It was the arrival of thick malevolence which caused them to open their eyes.

The appearance of Hell was perhaps a lot more different than one would expect. There was brimstone beneath their feet, yet for the most part, it looked like a much darker version of the world they lived in. As a stark contrast to the beauty and brightness of Heaven, the sky was pitch black with no moon illuminating it. Instead, the light source came from torches of fire lined around them. The shiver which ran down their spine wasn't just because of the malevolence seeping through the air. It was because with the home that they belonged to, it was hard to imagine that others accepted living here, even if it _was_ because it was a punishment for sins.

They had transported to an area where demons were taking part in the plan to stop Heldalf. Immediately, they were hurrying over and giving directions.

“I can imagine the Lord will be expecting you,” one said, her glowing red eyes scanning between them. “Angels have already arrived, causing a diversion."

“Here,” another was saying, crouching down on the ground. With his finger, he began to draw out a map within the brittle on the ground. “He resides in the palace of this city, which is not far from here, and we have others there who will help you sneak inside.”

“Thank you for all of your help,” Mikleo said, his eyes scanning the map along with the others. “Where are the other angels?”

“Out in the street, and also inside the palace now. They're all fighting with the demons on your side. We're helping to overthrow rebelling demons and with luck, you'll get to Heldalf before reinforcements from elsewhere show.”

“We should get going, then,” Sorey said, getting to his feet properly after inspecting the map. “Everyone ready?”

“I think we're all ready as we'll ever be,” Rose responded, the others in agreement with her words. Sorey nodded and brandished his blade, the others in tow as he thanked the demons one last time before the group steadily and carefully began to make their ways through the street. Now they were closer, there was no mistaking the sound of artes slamming into buildings, alongside screams of pain and furious yells, the latter likely to be from the ambushed demons.

“It sounds like a war out there,” Alisha said quietly, back pressed against a wall as she peered around the corner of the alleyway they were in to peer at the fighting, and also to spot the palace.

“That's because it _is_ a war. It's been in the work for years, like Lailah said,” Dezel responded.

“Hurry up,” Edna hissed, concerned they'd be caught. “He showed us that if we go down this way, we'll meet up with the others.”

“How can we trust them, though?” Zaveid asked as they began to proceed. “What if they're spying for the rebels?”

“I can assure you that is not the case,” Lailah said. “I understand your concern, of course, but I made sure that it was only trustworthy people I contacted.”

“But how –” Rose began, but she was soon interrupted, in a way that was much more serious than usual for Lailah.

“I cannot say, but please be assured that I have thought about everything with absolute cautiousness.”

“I believe you, Lailah,” Mikleo said. The voice he continued in was firm, as though he was making a point to anyone doubting her. “You would never do anything reckless which would put us in danger.”

The words seemed to bring a momentary guilt to Zaveid and Rose, but it was quick to fade, for this was no time to be focusing on such emotions. The group were soon cautiously edging around to the side of the palace, where they were greeted by a sextuplet of four demons and two accompanying angels, one of which was Mason, the familiar face giving Sorey a sense of calm.

“I'd love to say we have some sort of cool, sneaky way for you to get inside,” he said, sounding amused. “But there's been a change of plans, as it's getting pretty hectic in there.”

“What kind of change of plans?” Sorey asked, him and the others quickly becoming surprised when one of the demons smashed one of the windows with her elbow.

“Get inside,” she said, “ignore everything, and just run. There's no time anymore to be sneaking around slowly.”

“Got it,” Sorey nodded. Panic was rising in his chest a little over the recklessness, but when he saw the calm composure of Mikleo besides him, it managed to ease this panic, even though he was sure that Mikleo's sense of calm was nothing more than a facade. It was strange how an act of pretence could seem so real.

Inside the palace was the chaos they had expected. They were barely seen through the vast amount of smoke which was filling the air; further down a corridor, fire was blazing from the impact of numerous artes coming together.

“I'll lead you there,” said the demon who had broken the window, who had clambered in after them. Pushing back raven hair, she said, “Mason, can you watch us from behind?”

“Of course I can.”

They soon realised they were in luck; there was so much occurring that they managed to scrape by, not having time to worry if they were spotted because either way, Heldalf was going to know that they were there regardless.

As they were lead through the palace, they found themselves going down deeper, where polished dark tiles were being replaced by brimstone.

“There's this even in the castle?” Alisha said quietly.

“The rest is just appearances,” the demon said in front of them. “It's to make him seem powerful. Really though, he prefers secluding himself away like – _watch out!”_

The group just barely dodged artes being sent their direction; Lailah was the first to retaliate, her radiant flames bringing light to the dark corridors. They hit the demons instantly, and Rose jumping forward with her knives caused them to fall on the floor.

“Mason and I should stay here; more sentries are likely being sent after you,” said the demon. “Keep going down this corridor, turn right and head straight on. You'll be able to feel his presence draw nearer.”

“Thank you,” Sorey responded before hurrying to the directions she had given, the others close behind. They were soon faced with more of the guards, but Edna stopped them in their tracks easily with her foot slamming down onto the ground.

“Wait!” Mikleo cried out as Zaveid pulled out his gun after hitting wind into the enemies, trying to grab his arm. “There's no need to kill them!”

“Rose did, didn't you?” Zaveid questioned.

Mikleo turned to her with wide eyes. “You –”

“Vital hits,” she said quietly. “These knives are strong. They could end up dying.”

“We can't take any chances with these,” Zaveid said. “If we let them live now, they'll follow us and could end up outnumbering us. With someone as powerful as Heldalf, we can't afford that.”

“But murder is just …” Sorey continued for Mikleo.

“This is a war,” Dezel said. “And to make sure we're successful, some sacrifices have to be made.”

Sorey and Mikleo stood silently, this silence showing that even though they weren't keen on the idea of murder being involved with this, they knew they couldn't protest. After all, their fight against Heldalf on its own would be an immense burden for them.

“It'll be quick,” Zaveid said. “For each of them.”

His words weren't a lie, but it was still hard not to flinch at hearing the gun be shot a total of four times, its sound ringing in their ears. Lailah took a moment to look down at them, sadness in her eyes.

“You will be reincarnated one day,” she said quietly. “Hopefully then, you choose the right path to walk on.”

With the heavy burden of war weighing down on their shoulders and guilt stabbing them in their chests, the group ventured further, luckily only having to take out a couple more guards before they were stood outside of a grand door. Even though the area was completely silent, it was easy to tell that they were in the right place; their bodies were shuddering at the amount of malevolence radiating from what was waiting for them on the other side.

“Are you all ready?” Sorey asked quietly. When he received confirmation that they were, his hand grasped the handle of the door in front of him. It creaked loudly as it opened.

Visible malevolence immediately seeped out. Now well accustomed, the group stepped inside warily, but this wariness turned out to not be needed; the only ones who were currently in the room were Heldalf and Symonne. The first was sat on a throne, the likes of which were impressive, yet still seemed to not be cared for from how it was located in a room full of dirt and dust, very little other furniture resting in there. Symonne was by this throne, her arms leaning on its armrest.

“I must admit that this plan was unexpected,” said Heldalf, his voice unreadable. “Was it yours, Prime Lord?”

Lailah nodded. “It seems as though cleverness is not on your side, Heldalf, for I thought that you should have been able to figure this out.”

Symonne, furious over Lailah daring to insult her master, rose up a little, but Heldalf raising a hand stopped her. “Perhaps … naive, is a better phrase. Almost naive as the Shepherd. After all, it is has not been long since I was another pitiful, struggling human.”

“Pity will not work on us,” Edna snapped, hands on her umbrella tightening. “We know that you had hardships, but we're still here to put an end to you.”

“As harsh as ever, you angels are. All for the sake of 'good'. Though I suppose you are not fully aware of my story just yet.” Heldalf rose up from his seat, which immediately caused the others to tense up, prepared for an attack. “It is a shame, as I think it could interest you. Still … I am more interested in seeing you fall before me, than simply chatting.”

The group, unlike their last meeting with Heldalf, were prepared for a blast which had been aimed to send them flying; they stood their ground, eyes defiant and determined.

“Perhaps I _have_ underestimated you.”

“Here is your lesson to never underestimate our power!” Lailah exclaimed, before crying out, “ _Burning Strike!”_

Heldalf was prepared to block it; what he wasn't prepared for, and neither was Symonne, for it to hit into the latter instead, a cry of pain escaping her. It was this brief distraction which gave the others the chance to charge; momentarily, Zaveid and Dezel kept their distance with charging artes, whilst Edna and Mikleo stood by to heal. The humans were soon leaping into the air, their weapons slashing directly at Heldalf's body. It seemed unable to affect him, a wave of his arm sending them back, but they were not fearful from this in the slightest.

“You humans really think that you can take on me?”

“You damn right we do!” Rose exclaimed. “Lailah!”

“ _Fethmus Mioma!”_

The two merged immediately, the great sword in their hand creating its vortex of fire as it slashed down Heldalf's torso. In the meantime, Symonne was conjuring an arte and casting it towards Sorey, but it was sent off course from shards of ice hitting into it.

“Thanks!” Sorey called over his shoulder, swinging his sword in Symonne's direction; she swiftly dodged, but was then caught up in wind conjured by Dezel. The other wind guardian was now aiming his attack at Heldalf; Sorey hadn't seen how, but Rose was now on the floor, panting as a red glow surrounded her, healing the injuries shared between her and Lailah.

“You okay?” Sorey called, receiving a thumbs up in return before the sword was being directed at Heldalf again. “Dezel, Armatize with me!”

He nodded, both shouting out, _“_ _Lukeim Yurlin!”_

The swords danced around them before being directed at Heldalf; the Lord let out an angered cry when they combined with the power of the fire Armatus. He blasted them back with an arte, eyes burning with fury.

“You fools will not beat me!”

“ _Sorey, are you all right?”_ Dezel asked inside his mind.

“I'm fine,” Sorey replied breathlessly, smiling when he felt the power of water healing him instantly. His burning gaze met Heldalf's. “Yes, we will!” he bellowed, a furious blast of wind heading towards Heldalf. One of Symonne's artes had collided with it, weakening the full blast of its power, yet it still made a direct hit towards him.

“I'm calling reinforcements!” Symonne shouted at him. “They've gotten powerful!”

“I am fine on my own!” Heldalf growled. For the first time in her life, however, Symonne was choosing to disobey; she was aiming to escape the room, but cried out as the ground beneath her cracked, before serpents of water were colliding with her body.

“You remember those, don't you?” Mikleo questioned, aiming his staff towards her, Edna right by his side. His eyes shifted to the fight before him for a moment, seeing a blaze of fire now combining with the artes of both Sorey's Armatus and Zaveid, but his gaze was quickly returning to Symonne, who was glaring at him furiously.

“I also remember that you fell victim to Lunarre!” she snapped back, shooting an arte towards him. The speed caught him off guard, Edna pulling him out of the way; Symonne had taken this opportunity to sprint past, her hand reaching for the door.

“ _STOP HER!”_ Zaveid bellowed. “We can't afford any more –”

His words were cut off by an arte plunging straight through his stomach; blood spluttered out of his mouth as his wings were no longer able to hold him. He plummeted to the floor, coughing and retching. Alisha's hands were soon under his arms, pulling him away from the centre of the fight. Both Sorey and Rose were too caught up to shift away from Heldalf, knowing that turning away could result in the same thing happening to them.

“Edna, chase after Symonne and stop her from getting help!” Mikleo ordered before rushing over to Zaveid, his staff immediately held over him. As the wound's severity began to reduce, Edna was rushing out of the room, running faster than she had ever done in her life, the boots which had once belonged to her brother scattering dust and small rocks around her. Even now she was at a small distance from the fight, she could still hear the impact of artes and the shouts of the fighters.

 _'Don't die on me, everyone,'_ she thought to herself, speeding up a little when she could see Symonne clearly through the darkness.

Symonne turned with a growl upon hearing the thundering footsteps behind her. She held up a conjured staff and blasting an arte towards Edna, who cried as it hit her shoulder. Her hand was stained with blood as she pulled it away, but this was no time for her to worry over an injury; Symonne was soon jumping forward and aiming at Edna with the staff, swinging it to the side forcefully.

“You will pay for trying to harm him!” Symonne screamed as she attacked. With her anger, it was as almost as though flames were flaring in her eyes. “You dare enter this realm and attack our Lord?!”

“This is not a realm that you belong in!” Edna retorted, retaliating with a martial arte which sent Symonne crashing into a wall, a yell of pain escaping her from the painful collision against the bare skin of her back. “You can't justify anything you say when you betray us like this!”

“My betrayal to _you?”_ Symonne questioned, straightening out her body. “What about all the evil angels have done to maintain good? Erasing memories, murdering demons – we have betrayed each other! We're just as sick!”

Edna screamed as an arte hit into her legs, causing her to fall to the floor.

“Though you don't see that, do you? My Master showed me the way, of your wrongdoings and so-called justified ideals … that is why I've chosen this path.”

Overcoming her pain through pure anger and hatred, Edna retaliated by swinging her leg around, boot smashing into the side of Symonne's head. She stumbled to the ground, blood trickling down her cheek, crying out as an arte hit her.

“We have our faults and I'm not denying that,” Edna stated. “But we have done nothing like you. Look at what you've done to Mikleo in order to taint the Shepherd!”

“It's all part of Heldalf's reasoning,” Symonne answered, facing to glare at her. “You would never understand why he is wishing to taint him!”

“Yes I do, and it's to taint the word with the disgusting malevolence you use. We're stopping you, and there is nothing you can do about it!”

Symonne was soon moaning in pain as Edna plummeted another attack on her. Breathing heavily, Edna stood up, wiping blood away from her mouth. She knew that the fact that Symonne was an angel would stop her from inflicting further damage, but with her body battered and bruised like this, it was hard to imagine her getting up again, or at least any time soon.

Even though she was injured, Edna knew that she now had to head back to the fight and not leave the others alone. However, her body froze, a sight ahead of her stopping her legs from moving. Despite Symonne being prevented from venturing further, either the fact that the group had headed this way had been alerted, or commotion from her fight with Symonne had been heard; a small gathering of demons were heading down the corridor.

“ _They're after our Lord! Hurry up!”_

Edna's eyes widened in horror. She had to head back and warn the others, stop them from being attacked; before she could move, however, a hand was clutching her neck and lifting her off the floor, her legs squirming beneath her in the air.

“Well well, you sure did one on poor Symonne there,” said the voice of Lunarre, his eyes bearing into hers. He turned behind himself, screaming, “What is taking you so long?!”

Even through the suffocation, Edna managed to crack a smile; those who had been helping to lead them here were now dealing with the demons. With a scoff, Lunarre's grip tightened before she was thrown several metres down the corridor, her body scraping violently as she rolled across the floor. She cried out from the impact, barely scrambling to her feet before an arte hit her directly in the chest; she was thrown back so far that she blasted through the door back into the room where the fight was being held, her mind losing itself as her body seemed to become numb.

“ _EDNA!”_ Mikleo, the first to notice, screamed as he ran from Zaveid's side towards her, immediately beginning to heal the wound in her chest. “Hang in there, please –”

“E-Eizen … Will I s-see …”

“No, you're not dying, Edna!” Mikleo said desperately. Zaveid was next to him now assisting with the healing, both glancing nervously at Rose and Sorey, both still Armatized with Lailah and Dezel, aiming cautious attacks at Heldalf, whilst Alisha tried to find an opening. “We need one of them to heal her, Armatized healing is much stronger …”

“Yours is the strongest, why don't you Armatize with one of them?”

“We're only going to do that if we have to, so my power isn't wasted.” But when Mikleo saw that the wound in Edna's chest was only healing partially, he was realising that this was a matter as urgent as any other.

But he didn't have the chance to focus on either of the humans fighting; his eyes were glancing up at the sound of cackling as Lunarre, with two demons who managed to escape from the angels' wrath behind him, entered the room, looking down at the three angels with a wicked expression.

“Isn't this a marvellous treat?” he grinned widely. “Killing a weak, little angel …”

“I'm not weak,” Edna's voice said quietly, coughing blood out of her mouth. Both Mikleo and Zaveid were astonished; they hadn't even realised she was conscious. “And I'm certainly not dead.”

“We'll see how long that lasts!”

“Zavied, carry Edna!” Mikleo yelled. “She's not healed enough yet!”

“But what about you?!”

“I'll be fine, just take her!”

He had no other choice; Edna was in no position to even move by herself. He scooped her into his arms and took to the air, eyes glancing to the still occurring fight in the distant end of the room. Meanwhile, a jet of water from Mikleo managed to block two of the artes, but Lunarre hit his legs; he let out a yell of pain, falling to the floor. With three demons in front of him and the others preoccupied, he briefly considered whether this really was the moment when his luck ran out, after every single time he had managed to escape death.

But as soon as the demons released artes towards him, he was already being carried in the air; he looked up with a relieved smile at Sorey's face, beaming down at him, blond hair blowing from his face.

“What about –”

But looking over the shoulder of Sorey brought his answer; Zaveid had moved Edna to one arm to cast a golden chain which was wrapped around Heldalf's arm, briefly slowing him down as a blaze of fire hit into him from Rose's sword. Sorey soon lowered to the ground, placing Mikleo down onto it as his eyes widened; Alisha had managed to surprise the demons with a counter attack of their artes, all three on the floor.

“You've saved me once,” she said to Mikleo without turning to him, but she was smiling. “It was only right for me to return the favour.”

“Thank you, Alisha,” Mikleo said gratefully. He watched as Sorey then parted from Dezel before looking at Mikleo.

“Can you Armatize?” he asked. “We need Edna healed.”

Mikleo nodded, both simultaneously shouting, “ _Luzrov Rulay!”_

As soon as they were Armatized, they were immediately casting their healing arte; there was a deep inhale as the blinding light surrounding her, and moments later, she was hovering in the air, as energetic as previously. After casting a smile over at Sorey, she was on the ground, causing the earth to shake beneath Heldalf's feet. The upper hand he currently seemed to have over Rose, who was now panting on the ground, faltered over his stumble; water shot from Sorey's bow plunged itself at Heldalf to take advantage.

“ _Rose, part from me!”_ Lailah ordered after they healed one another. _“Help Alisha!”_

For whilst she had managed to take down the two accompanying demons, she was struggling as Lunarre was trying to take her spear away from her. Rose parted instantly, racing over and leaping into the air, Lunarre snarling as he jumped back to avoid the relentless slashes of her knives. Meanwhile, the angels and Sorey were fending off Heldalf, dodging attack after attack and countering of their own. Constantly healing each other and spreading out, they had developed a tactic which might have been disrupted if Symonne was here to assist him, but with her still injured from Edna, this assistance was not available for him.

“We might actually win this thing,” Rose grinned to Alisha. “We've got the upper hand!”

“Heh, don't forget about me,” Lunarre grinned, Rose crying out as an arte shot into her leg, causing her to stumble to the ground. “As soon as I'm done with you humans, I'm on to the angels!”

Filled with fury over seeing her wife become hurt, her spear was aimed towards Lunarre. He held up an arm to block it, yet she managed to force the spear through; he screamed from pain, grasping the handle of the spear and forcing it out of his arm, throwing Alisha away from him in the process. He picked up the spear, tapping it against his hand.

“ _Alisha!”_ Rose shouted, attempting to scramble to her feet, but her leg failed her; it was far too injured to sustain her weight, and she crashed down painfully onto her knees. She glanced to her side for a moment, begging that one of the others would see what's going on, but there was too much distraction; Zaveid was currently healing Lailah as Edna and Sorey were still aiming their attacks, preventing Heldalf from taking advantage of Lailah and Zaveid's vulnerability.

Alisha was now on her feet, trying to use her own body to fight against Lunarre – for a moment, she was impressively successful. She was now taking out her modified pistol, but Lunarre was too quick and experienced in this type of combat; Alisha let out an ear-piercing scream as the spear plunged through her stomach, causing her to collapse on the floor onto her knees gasping helplessly for breath.

The others were too far to react before Rose did to Lunarre's following actions; he was pulling the spear back with a malicious sneer on his face, ready to deliver the final blow. This hit was delivered, but not on who it had been intended for.

In seconds which seemed to tick by much slower than they were in reality, Rose forced her body over to Alisha, ignoring the searing pain in her leg so she could push Alisha out of the way just in the right moment, the spear instead plunging straight through her head.

Seconds weren't passing merely slowly; now, time itself seemed to had stopped completely, multiple pairs of eyes staring at Rose's body slumping down onto the floor lifelessly. Lunarre was too surprised to move as Alisha crawled towards her, a blood-stained hand clutching her stomach as she turned Rose over, knowing it was hopeless but still filled with a desperation to see if she might have survived.

Blood was seeping out from the deep wound on her head, her mouth slightly parted with no breath being released. The skin of the face Alisha pressed the back of her hand against was as cold as winter ice.

Rose's beautiful blue eyes, the orbs which Alisha had always adored, might have been still wide open, but there was no life in them. They were the eyes of the dead.


	24. Torment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle continues, yet none realise that even after it finishes, there may be more to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOSH I am so nervous about this chapter.  
> As those who speak to me or follow my Tumblr would know, I've been unable to play Zesty for a while due to how badly my health reacts to the stimulation. Because of this, I haven't finished it, so all of this is my own plot inspired by the little I know and GAH. I don't want to be hated for that ... I'll talk a bit more at the end, but for now, enjoy the chapter whilst I have a panic attack in the corner.

Alisha could only stare in horror. No, this couldn't be happening. The woman she had loved more than anyone in the world, who had held her during the hardest times of her life … she couldn't be dead. Not Rose.

Her ears didn't seem to be working; she could faintly hear shouts of her name, hands on her arms pulling her away from an attack aiming towards her, yet she noticed nothing. Her vision was tunnelled, her eyes seeing and only caring for Rose's body.

Before long, there was screaming. She realised it was her own when she felt her throat ache from its deafening sound. She fought back against the person holding her, but the arms were much too muscular to properly do so.

Her eyes seemed to barely take note of an arrow of water plunging through Lunarre's stomach, causing him to collapse to the floor, coughing up crimson blood on the brimstone beneath him. Good. He was the one who had hurt Rose. He deserved twice as much of that pain.

“Let me get to her,” Alisha was now murmuring, barely even noticing that the wound in her stomach had now healed from Sorey and Mikleo's arte. “She might still be alive!”

“She's not, Alisha,” said the voice of Zaveid quietly in her ear. “She's gone.”

Alisha was shaking her head in disbelief, a usually strong woman now reduced to being more distressed than she had ever been. She fell to her knees by Rose, not noticing that a panting Dezel was now making his way over, and stared into Rose's eyes. There was no mistaking that she was dead, yet her fingers pressed against Rose's neck, just in case there was a small chance that there was a pulse …

There wasn't.

“This can't be happening … _please_ tell me this isn't happening …” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Rose, please …”

Her head shot up at a furious blast of wind Dezel had sent into Lunarre. He was breathing heavily, his pointed teeth in a snarl – even with his hair covering his face, it was clear to read his fury. It was seeming to take him over quickly, his rage in replace of despair. Alisha could only stare with tearful eyes as Dezel began to smash hits into Lunarre over and over again, a scream soon escaping his lips.

“ _You dared kill who I was meant to protect!”_

“Dezel, calm down!” Sorey shouted, though he too was staring at Rose's body in absolute horror. The only thing that was stopping him from falling down next to her body was how he, Lailah and Edna were still in mid-combat; Heldalf's counters had certainly not ceased upon the death of an enemy, cruelly not letting Rose's death be properly addressed.

Lunarre was now spluttering on the floor, his body beaten and bruised from the relentless attacks inflicted on him.

“Your power isn't strong enough to kill me on its own,” he still rasped out, grinning. “I'm not like the little redhead … a weak puny human, who only lived so she could die …”

“She was _not_ weak!” Alisha screamed at him, the hold on Rose growing tighter. “She was never weak! It is thanks to her that we made it this far!”

“And wherever she got you is going to leave you in a pile of blood and bones,” Lunarre spat. He was about to speak again, but prevented from doing so by Dezel's boot to his face.

“Zaveid,” he was now saying quietly, turning his head in the direction of the other wind seraph, who was given no choice but to rejoin the fight, which had grown increasingly more difficult with only one Armatization taking place, one which they were worried would have to be broken off before long. _“ZAVEID!”_ Dezel then bellowed. It was so sudden that even Heldalf seemed surprised; his small amount of hesitation was just enough for Sorey to counter attack with the bow being slammed against him, before he flew back and plunged an arrow into his arm. The roar of pain he received in return was proof that their attacks were dealing their damage; Lailah's fire coursing around him only proved this further.

This regain of the upper hand allowed Zaveid to feel as though it was safe to fly over to Dezel and land next to him, staring down at Alisha now sobbing into Rose's chest, before his gaze shifted to Dezel.

“What is it?” he asked, but he already knew the answer.

“Give me it.”

“I can do it myself, you don't have to risk being tain–”

“I've killed before. Just give it here.”

There was only a second in which Zaveid hesitated; he nodded, grabbing the handle of Siegfried and pulling it out of its holster, placing it down into Dezel's hand.

“It's a worthy loss,” Zaveid said quietly. He took a moment to hold his hand on top of Alisha's head, which titled upward at the feel of it, before he rejoined the others in combat. Dezel was now aiming the trigger at Lunarre's head, who had managed to push himself on his hands and knees, grinning despite how much his life was in danger.

“Heh, you're really going to do it?”

“Damn right I am.”

“You angels are really not better than us, are you? Killing us, just like we'd –”

“No, there's a huge difference between us,” he responded quietly, though despite this quietness, there was a certain strength in his voice. “I'm doing what I have to do. None of this had to have happened. I'd say there's also a difference because I won't be enjoying killing you, but after what you did, I sure am going to enjoy it.”

There were no more words spoken. Alisha visibly jumped as Dezel pulled back the trigger, the direct shot through Lunarre's head causing him to fall back onto the floor, his body lifeless. The death brought a tense silence, before Dezel turned to Alisha. She was surprised to hear him speak so softly.

“Don't carry on fighting if you can't. She's – it's a big loss.”

The grip on the gun in his hand tightened before looking in the direction of Heldalf, as though he was contemplating something. He appeared to swallow, and Alisha would have asked what was wrong if she had the strength to speak again.

“A pure soul …” he was murmuring. “Would mine be pure enough?”

“What are you talking about?” she managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly. Could he have been speaking about him possibly being tainted by murdering Lunarre? She shook her head mentally – there was definitely no malevolence radiating from him.

“It doesn't matter. Just working something out. Stay here and look after her, all right?”

For some reason, these words seemed to arise something from inside Alisha. She wasn't sure why; perhaps it was receiving such a vague answer whilst she was so distraught, or perhaps being told to stay on the sidelines. Either way, she was pressing a kiss against Rose's cold lips before settling her down gently. Her eyelids were pulled down carefully with Alisha's fingers. On shaking legs, Alisha then rose to her feet, Sorey noticing this from a distance.

“You don't have to fight!” he shouted. “Not when Rose … not when she …”

The thought of what had occurred seemed to paralyse both Sorey for a moment, Mikleo too inside of him; Zaveid had to push the fused pair out of the way of an arte.

“We're not losing you too!” he yelled at them, before charging an arte at Heldalf, hitting directly into his stomach.

“I _will_ fight,” Alisha said quietly, her hands clenching into tight fists. Her head, which had previously been lowered, shot up, eyes burning with the emotions of a determined woman who wanted to avenge the death of the one she loved. “I will do whatever it takes to make Rose's sacrifice not be pointless!”

Lailah, who was panicking over Alisha jumping into something dangerous in order to obtain revenge, made sure that Dezel had rejoined the fight before she rushed over, casting hurt eyes down at Rose's body for a moment before fixing her gaze on Alisha.

“We are getting far in this fight,” Lailah said. “It is also much safer for us to fight him. Our artes can be used at a distance much safer than yours, and Sorey can –”

“I'll Armatize with you.”

Lailah felt a moment of hopelessness in regards to what to say. “Alisha, you've already tried many times …”

“I don't care about that!” Alisha's eyes were burning more than ever, her tears now dried up. “I must fight, I can't let her have died in vain!”

“Alisha –”

“This might be the reason why I've not been able to Armatize yet,” Alisha said, casting a glance at the fight occurring before her; the angels and Sorey were leaping back away from an arte, before charging forward in their retaliation. Her eyes moved back to Lailah. “I don't think I've had the same level of passion as the others. Sorey has been driven by Mikleo and his duties as a Shepherd, whilst Rose had everything which had occurred during her life in the past. I … haven't dealt with the same things. I lost my family, but that has still not driven me to fight in the same way. But now …”

Lailah watched with a small, proud smile as Alisha looked down at Rose. “You want to take your grief and turn it into power.”

“Yes. I want to do what's been done for me, and that's protect.”

Lailah's smile grew, closing her eyes as she took Alisha's hands, whose eyes also began to slowly close. “Breathe deeply, block out the noise of their fight, and concentrate solely on the connection which links us … it ties on one of us, connecting with Sorey, before then tying on the other. See that bond as though it was a physical thing, and use your new determination to obtain the power you feel.”

Alisha took a deep breath before exhaling, her mind focusing on Lailah's words. She concentrated harder than she had ever done so in the previous times. There seemed to be something which had grown inside her; she found herself feeling the power that they could potentially share stronger than ever before. She surprised Lailah when she opened her eyes and did not panic over the light in front of her. Perhaps it was because she thought she might have heard Rose from that light, saying that it wasn't time for her to die herself yet. Whether or not it was Alisha's imagination, she did not know, and she chose not to concentrate on it; she instead focused on Lailah's voice now speaking in her mind.

“ _This is it, Alisha … you can do this! Harness the power, use it for your will!”_

“I can feel it,” Alisha responded, her eyes closing once more. “I'm ready.”

“ _Then, in three, two, one…_ Fethmus Mioma!”

She was then encased in a brilliant light, the beauty distracting the others as it illuminated the darkly lit room. For a moment, they thought that the length of time this bright light shone suggested that it might fail, leaving the two girls separated and panting on the floor. But to their astonishment and delight, this wasn't the case.

Though she was breathing heavily, Alisha now stood in a beautiful white outfit with the skirt stretched behind her, red detailing adorning it. Her eyes shone this same red, and wings tipped with a pale rose stretched out either side of her. In one hand, she held a sword, which she was soon gripping tightly with both hands.

“ _Alisha, do you feel all right?”_

“I'll admit that this is not doing me much good,” she panted. “But even if it's for a short moment, I will use this power.”

“ _As long as you don't damage yourself.”_

Alisha nodded, casting her eyes down at Rose one last time before she sprang into the air to join the others.

“Sorey!” she shouted, who nodded, and the two combined a furious attack of both fire and water which plunged into Heldalf, receiving a scream of pain in return. It seemed as though his fighting was faltering, his movements sluggish compared to how they once were. Though this weakening also brought greater fury; he cast his arm to the side and knocked both Alisha and Sorey away, both yelling out in pain, though Dezel, Edna and Zaveid were soon attacking in replace of them. As soon as they returned, the sword slashing down Heldalf's torso and an arrow piercing into it, Dezel was pulling Zaveid back for a moment.

“Siegfried is one of the weapons specifically designed to kill angels, demons and hellions, right?” he asked. The gun was still held in one hand.

“Yeah, why?”

“That means its the user's soul which works it? Because in order to kill something which is already dead, it has to be the soul you attack, which means you connect with your own soul to gain power.”

“Uh-huh, it's complicated.” Zaveid sent an arte over to Heldalf when he saw that he was about to attack Edna, who was leaping to the side to dodge. She nodded her gratitude before continuing with the fight, allowing Sorey and Alisha to attack before doing so herself. “Really, why are you asking?”

“Because if this thing connects with your soul, that means you can surely sacrifice yourself to increase its power. Right?”

Zaveid stared at him with wide eyes. “You can't possibly be saying that –”

“And Lailah said that Heldalf doesn't go to the surface much is because a pure soul could be sacrificed to save him?”

“Yeah, but –”

“I'm going to have to borrow this for a bit longer.”

“You can't be serious!” Zaveid suddenly shouted. “You can't be thinking of letting yourself die!”

Sorey's head snapped around at this, Alisha having to protect him from being hit by an arte. “What?! Dezel, what are you doing?”

“Alisha can't stay Armatized like that; she's not built for it at all, just look at how much she is struggling!” His words were true; she was still breathing heavily, the power too much for her body to handle. “Then there's Mikleo – is he really faring all right?”

“Mikleo?” Sorey said quietly.

“ _I-It's fine, honestly …”_

The fact that the voice in Sorey's head was weak was written on his face entirely. “See. We need a better plan than this, something stronger.”

“You cannot possibly think that _your_ soul is right for that task,” Heldalf said. “You just murdered a soul there and then.”

“Because it was justified,” Dezel replied. “It hasn't tainted me in the slightest, because I knew it had to be done.” He raised the gun so it rested against his chest, turning to Zaveid for a moment as he did so. “It's what has to be done.”

Zaveid swallowed, for he knew this was a great plan, but he didn't want to be the one to say yes to Dezel sacrificing himself. It was Alisha who spoke out first.

“Is this what Rose would have wanted?” she said quietly. “Would she want you to die?”

“She died to protect you. I'll be doing the same for all of you. I'll be reincarnated, so I don't mind doing this.”

No one spoke, simply blocking attacks as Dezel's words were repeated continuously in their minds. They knew just how much of an impact Rose's death was having on him, even if his way of showing that was through anger; he had just lost the girl he had been watching over all of his life, failing to protect her once again. It was likely that he saw his life worthy of nothing else but to have allowed her death to reach something.

“It's … true about the reincarnation,” Zaveid eventually said slowly.

“You can't be saying that you _want_ him to let himself die!” Sorey shouted at him.

“You think that I _want_ to be saying this?! Of course I don't! The last thing I want is for –”

“Help me do this,” Dezel said, gripping the gun tightly. “Please.”

Heldalf let out a cold, mocking laugh, one which sent a chill down their spines. “None of you are strong enough to agree.”

“We are,” Edna ended up saying quietly. She took a glance at Rose's body. “Sometimes we have to make choices we don't want to, if it's to save the lives of others.”

The calmly spoken words from Edna meant more than it would from everyone else; after all, two months prior, she had witnessed the death of her brother, who she had most certainly not wanted to die. It was bringing the realisation that there would likely be more loss if they allowed Dezel to make his sacrifice.

“We're not asking you to do this,” Sorey ended up saying.

“I know. But I both need and want to.”

These words seemed to bring forth their final decision, as much as all resented it. Sorey swallowed and nodded, facing Heldalf, who despite his now intense injuries, was still seeming to have a provoking look in his eye, as though he didn't quite believe they would go through with their plans.

“I am highly doubtful that angels would kill a hellion who went through more ordeals than most,” he said. “After all, it's on your conscience – you know of the abuse in my life, the sacrifices, the loss … how could an angel kill someone with that kind of past instead of purify them?”

“You're beyond purification,” Sorey responded. “It's why our attacks hurt you to this extent, why they damage you properly. They don't purify you. It's impossible now.”

“So you will kill me instead?”

“It's necessary.”

“You may come to regret this decision, Shepherd. You don't know what you're doing.”

“I'm pretty sure I do.” He inhaled deeply before shouting, _“Everyone!”_

One by one, each charged an arte, the beauty of each element emerging together together in a blinding light, before the attack was sent directly to Heldalf's stomach. His roar of pain was louder than ever, his eyes rolling back into his head as he fell to his knees. Clenching his shaking hands into fists, he turned to Dezel, giving him a slow nod.

“Break the Armatizations,” he said, both him and Alisha doing so. She and Mikleo stumbled, but whilst the latter regained his footing, Alisha fell to the ground. “Back away from this, Alisha!”

She nodded, knowing that her strength was too scarce by now to continue fighting. She backed away, watching as the angels and Sorey each came together, Heldalf still trying to pick himself up off the ground but was too weakened to do so quickly.

“Ready?” Sorey asked, the others nodding in agreement. Dezel handed the gun to him, before each angel dispersed into a small wisp, each of them gathering inside Sorey. His body seemed to glow with a supernatural light, the gun rising in front of him. “Dezel,” he then said quietly. A single green wisp appeared in front of him, and for a moment, there was a voice.

“ _Don't be upset over my death, for this means I can protect Rose again in the afterlife.”_

Sorey nodded, yet a strong guilt weighed heavy on his chest as the small wisp circled the gun in Sorey's hand. It now glowed with a brighter intensity, and Sorey knew he had no time to hesitate.

“ _Now!”_

The collective force of power transmitted itself to the gun, their fractions fusing with all of what Dezel could give; the trigger pulled back, shooting straight through Heldalf's chest. The impact brought a strong force of wind which caused Sorey to fly back, eyes squeezed shut from a light which was blinding his eyes. He fell back by the open doorway entering the room, wisps of the angels escaping him and turning back into their full forms. For a moment, among all of their retching and coughing, there was worried that they might have been unsuccessful, for there was no scream of pain or any other verbal reaction to the attack which had plunged through him.

With a blurred vision, Sorey and the others tried to focus their eyes in front of them. Their worry vanished when they saw Heldalf on the floor, completely motionless. The only movement was a tiny green wisp which was hovering into the air, before it slowly faded away.

“You did it,” Alisha whispered, dragging herself over to the others. Rose's body was now being held in her arms, the last thing she wanted was leaving it behind. “ _He_ did it …”

“It's over,” Lailah said softly, pushing herself onto bruised knees. “We've won.”

“Goddamn idiot,” Edna muttered, Zaveid nodding next to her, still trying to catch his breath properly.

“Mikleo,” Sorey then said quietly, edging over to him and rolling Mikleo from his side, smiling when he met his eyes – they might have been exhausted and worn, but at least they were open. “You're all –”

He didn't have time to finish his sentence; he and the others were taken by surprise when a sudden black smoke swallowed their sight, eyes squeezing shut as they coughed, the smoke quickly becoming thick in the air around them.

“W-What is …” Lailah tried to say, but closed her mouth immediately when the smoke began to fill her lungs. All the group could do was wait for the smoke to clear gradually on its own; it did so a couple of minutes later, leaving them coughing with their eyes watering. Lailah's eyes immediately cast over to Heldalf, making sure this confusing action wasn't from him, but his body still laid as cold as ever. It was Edna's words spoken in a shaking voice which caused the others to realise why exactly their vision had been obscured.

“Where's Sorey and Mikleo?”

 

* * *

 

 

“Keep hold of them! Don't you _dare_ let them go!”

Symonne, her body still burning from pain and Sorey's sword in her hand, limped ahead of demons assisting her; two each held onto Sorey and Mikleo's arms, frog-marching them across the corridors, both too exhausted from their battle to fight back properly.

“ _MALTRAN!”_ Symonne was now screaming. “Get over here, wherever you are!”

“Be quiet, the angels will hear us,” one of the demons were saying, though he swallowed when Symonne turned around and shot him a deathly glare; it managed to seem even more ferocious from the blood dripping down her face and the bruise inflicted around one eye.

“We're getting too far down to be – _SEIZE HIM!”_

For Sorey had suddenly elbowed one of the demons in the side, trying to attempt to reach for Mikleo, who seemed to be struggling to stay on his feet.

“Let him go!” he shouted, trying to fight back against the hands being pinned against his back. “It's me you want, isn't it? You don't need him!”

But Mikleo was shaking his head. “Do what you want with me, just let Sorey –”

She pointed the sword towards them. “ _Neither_ of you are going, no matter how much you beg.” She lowered the sword, now continuing to walk forward, the corridor leading her to descend down a set of stairs. “We're going to have a lot of fun. Punishment for your sins, I'd say.”

“Sins? He was a hellion!”

“And a hellion meaning more to you than you have ever known.”

Sorey blinked, confused. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“We'll see.”

The couple were now being dragged down the stairs, Symonne grasping keys hanging off a hook, unlocking a door with a barred window a third from the top of it. It opened with a large creak which echoed in the silence, stepping inside and gesturing for the demons to throw them inside. As they were done so, their wrists were immediately chained in front of them by cuffs. After placing Sorey's sword down by the wall, she kicked them apart carelessly, standing in the middle.

“You can leave us, demons,” she said. Her voice was quiet, yet the demons heard and understood; they left immediately, making way for Maltran, who was now stepping inside the room and locking the door after herself.

“You called for me?”

“I'm going to have a little fun with these,” Symonne said, stamping on Sorey's leg to emphasise her words, receiving a hiss of pain in return.

“ _Sorey!”_

But Sorey cared very little for the pain in his leg. He was glaring at Maltran, his expression immediately one of pure rage, narrowed eyes seeming as though they were now several shades darker.

“ _You!”_

“Well observed, Shepherd.”

“How can you speak so cockily when you betrayed your daughter like that? When you dared to damage the one I loved?!”

Mikleo could only peer past Symonne at Sorey, unsure of what words to speak; he didn't know what he could possibly say that could calm Sorey down. After all, he certainly couldn't say he was fine, not with them both captured.

“There we go,” Symonne said, looking down at Sorey. “See? You act like such a hero, yet as soon as you are faced with someone who would hurt who you love, you start falling once again …”

Sorey bit his lip, knowing that she was right and immediately trying to settle his anger; he stayed silent as Symonne's foot suddenly swung around and hit the side of his head, though he couldn't stop himself from falling against the floor.

“Don't hurt him!” Mikleo shouted, immediately trying to scramble to his feet, though Symonne was quick to react.

“Get hold of him, Maltran!”

She did so, crouching down and grasping his hair tightly in one hand to yank his head back, his scalp stinging and causing one eye to close. “Watch,” Maltran said simply, “as we turn your boyfriend into the new Lord of Calamity.”

“I will never become that!” Sorey shouted, pushing himself off the ground with his elbows. Symonne merely chuckled, stepping down onto the top of his back to push his body back down onto the floor.

“But I thought you would want to follow in his footsteps.”

“His footsteps? Why would I –”

“Oh, you are _so_ clueless about everything. Were you never told the truth?”

“She's just playing with you, Sorey,” Mikleo said, wincing as the grip on him tightened. “Don't listen to her.”

“Perhaps I am playing, but only with the truth.” She crouched down by Sorey, who didn't bother to lash out; he was staring at her instead, unsure of what she was speaking about. “You were never told that your father wasn't your _real_ father, were you?”

Sorey blinked. “But he was, he –”

“Only Selene was related to you by blood. She fell pregnant from a different man, one which she escaped from with you because she knew of how much malevolence that man held … yes, like you, she had a very high resonance. So much so that her death was a relief.”

“I don't understand.”

“Let me tell you a story then, of a man who increasingly began to hate the world. All that laid in it; sins, war, negative emotions … soon, in order to control it, he began to allow himself to become consumed by malevolence. It grew thicker and thicker, though before it changed how he appeared physically, he fell in love with your mother. But she knew of his malevolence, and before long, she made no effort to hide the fact that she now despised him. Pregnant with his child, she fled, meeting who you thought was truly your father.

“Is it really such a surprise that your real father would now want to be reunited with you? I could see this longing in him when he saved me. Yes … I, an angel, saved by a malevolent man. I've _hated_ being an angel. My life as a human was cruel. I was poor. I used my body to help feed my family. I just wanted another life to have one more chance. Yet it was different centuries ago; you never had a choice. They thought I had potential as an angel, and that's that.”

“You –”

“Let me finish. So yes, the dark side seemed oh-so-welcoming for an angel who wanted to lose her wings. In fact, I would have never said no to becoming a devil, for at least then, I would remember nothing. But malevolence could never take me over, because I no longer cared. So why not use this to help this man, who promised me the world of darkness I so needed to belong in?

“Yet he knew that he couldn't live forever … he wanted someone else to be by his side, to take over after him. That's where you come in – his only son. Of course, those humans you lived with had to be dealt with. It was his idea for them to be killed.”

Sorey was shaking his head. He couldn't believe those words … there was no way that his parents, both of which he had always known were real, had been murdered. “It was an accident,” he said, voicing his thoughts. “A car accident. There's no way it was you who killed them.”

“Well, of course we wouldn't use our usual methods, like we used on that water guardian over there. No, definitely not … we had to do it stealthily. Ruining your tires was enough. Making sure _you_ didn't die too was the difficult part – it took my magic to do that. So yes, I saved your life, but only because I wanted to use it. And now that your father has died –”

“There's no way he's my father,” Sorey interrupted her. He wasn't sure if the shaking in his body was from fear or anger – perhaps it was both, fusing together because there was no possible way that her words were true. But she was smiling now, and somewhere inside himself, he knew that she wasn't lying.

“But he is, Shepherd,” Symonne said gently. “Or at least, he was. Yes, Heldalf was your father. You just murdered him, like he expected you might have been able to do. And now, this will begin your path of giving into malevolence; you will become the new Lord of Calamity, and I am to serve you. That is what my true final orders were.”

Sorey stayed silent, not having a clue as to how he could response to this. He wanted for it to be a lie, that she was only saying this as part of her plan to taint him, but her words sounded truthful. She didn't laugh or sound amused in the slightest – it was as though she was simply telling the story of an event and nothing more.

Apparently Mikleo thought so too, as whilst his mouth opened and closed, no words escaped him. His eyes were just as wide as Sorey's, unable to comprehend what they had just been told. But eventually, he spoke before Sorey, a slight shake in his voice. “Even if this is the truth –”

“It is the truth.”

“– then Sorey can still choose his own path.”

“But don't you feel guilty over killing your own family?” Symonne asked, sympathy which was likely feigned evident in her voice. “Isn't it only right to do what he wanted you to do to erase that guilt?”

Sorey swallowed, looking unsure for a moment, but Symonne's eyes narrowed as he shook his head. “Even if it's true about us being related by blood, it doesn't mean we're truly family,” he said, glancing at Mikleo for a moment, the sight of him seeming to push Sorey to continue. “He wasn't the one who raised me – he's just been wanting to choose my path.” He pushed himself onto his knees, his cuffed hands clenching into fists. “And you killed my parents for that,” he said through gritted teeth. “How could I feel guilt for the man who killed my parents?!”

“It was only to make way for your future. Shepherd, you could do such great things with this power, have the very world in your hands –”

“ _I don't want the world!”_ Sorey screamed at her, echoing off the walls; he was breathing heavily, the information he had been told overwhelming him. “I just want to live life how I want to!”

“No, you _will_ choose the path of the dark side,” Symonne spat, Mikleo crying out Sorey's name as an arte hit into his stomach, causing him to fall down onto his back. “If that is what my master wanted, then it _will_ happen!” She began stamping down repeatedly on Sorey's stomach, Maltran's hold growing tighter on Mikleo as he struggled to break free. “I will put you through never-ending agony until you're driven insane and forced to join us!”

Now curled on his side, Sorey coughed, spitting out blood onto the floor before he cast a defiant glare at Symonne. “You won't ever be able to do that,” he said. “I've got too many people waiting for me to let that happen.”

“Oh, that's right, you're always so selfless.” Symonne said, wandering away from Sorey, though keeping his eyes on him as a hand wrapped itself around Mikleo's throat, his head still held back by his hair. “I almost forgot. It might do much more damage on you to hurt this one instead. What do you think?”

Sorey's eyes widened, immediately regretting his previous words. “You can hurt me as much as you like, just don't touch him!”

“Oh don't worry, we can hurt you as well,” Symonne said, sickly smiling. Her grip tightened a little, Mikleo gasping for breath. “But if we play with this one as well, then surely nothing would work better …” Her words trailed off as though she was in thought. “In fact … why don't we see who breaks first?”

Her spare hand conjured her staff; it gathered power before slamming an arte into Sorey, Mikleo unable to shout for him due to the hand around his throat. She released it moments later, nodding at Maltran, who slammed his head down onto the floor just in time for Sorey to look back at them.

“ _Don't!_ Just hurt me!”

Symonne merely laughed, smashing her staff down onto the back of Mikleo's head – he was surprised he remained consciousness, though his vision was now darkening, the figure of Sorey merely a blur.

“But isn't this hurting you, too?” Symonne asked, kicking into Mikleo so he rolled in his side, winded as her foot then collided with this stomach. “You'll have to specify.”

“Please, don't –”

“Sorey, it's fine,” Mikleo gasped out. “As long as you don't get hurt, I'm –”

“Listen to this,” Maltran spat. “How noble of them both.”

“Quite right. 'Don't hurt him, hurt me!'” Symonne let out another laugh, jumping over to Sorey and swinging a kick to the back of his head when she saw him trying to get to his feet. “God, this kind of love makes me want to be _sick!_ But no … we can use this, and we will … but you don't really seem to care much about getting hurt at all, do you?” Symonne questioned as she watched Sorey look over at Mikleo with panicked eyes, uncaring for the blood trickling down his face. “I can sense malevolence from you, yet none at all from the angel … interesting, very interesting. It seems I know who is allowing their emotions to be controlled, and who has seen the other go through so much that it's taking them over … really, all of his hardships have affected you most of all.”

She yanked at Sorey's hair to pull his head back and meet his eyes. “Yes … there's so much rage building up in there. Murder has changed you, even if you did not see him as your father.”

“He's only angry because of what you're doing!” Mikleo protested, but even he could feel the gradual change in Sorey. Each time something had fallen on top of him, each time he watched Mikleo go through physical and emotional pain – it was all piling up. Mikleo had been given the chance to release his emotions. Sorey had bottled them all up inside. It wasn't just from recently; the mourning over his parents, his unborn child; he had always stayed strong and never truly had a chance to express himself. It seemed as though Symonne realised this entirely.

“No, there is much more there,” she said, Sorey hissing as she tightened her grip. “Everyone in this room knows it. And how I am glad … it'll make the task for my master so much easier, and torturing you that bit more fun.” Symonne's eyes narrowed, throwing Sorey to the side and colliding an arte into his leg, making him shout out in pain. “After all, even if he had expected to be killed, that doesn't change the fact that I despise how you killed him. The only man who ever cared to see how I was faring …”

Her jaw clenched as she pushed Sorey back onto the ground, looking at Maltran with a returned smirk. “Do you have it?”

Maltran nodded, releasing one hand from Mikleo to hand an item to Symonne – when Sorey looked up and saw it, he discovered that it was the same knife which had been used months ago.

“No, not that!”

Mikleo could only stare with frightened eyes. This expression only seemed to make Symonne's smirk grow even more sadistic, stroking the tip of the blade with her fingers.

“Do you know what's happening, Shepherd?” she asked in a soft voice, contradictory to the wickedness of her expression. “Each time he exerts himself, every time he gets hurt, its only going to damage his lifespan more … so who knows,” she paused as she sliced a cut across Mikleo's cheek, the length of it stinging harshly, “perhaps each little flick of my wrist will only add more to that. And you can feel it, can't you?” she questioned, crouching down in front of Mikleo. “The negative emotions it manages to surface, the awful, awful memories … that's exactly what demons' weapons do. They torture souls, usually for their sins, yet you're so sinless that it is laughable.”

She turned to Sorey, curiosity in her voice as she continued. “I wonder … how would _you_ react to those effects, too? After all, his torture can wait. We're so very far down in this palace; I doubt that your little friends will find us.”

With a provoking smile to Mikleo, who had a mixture of fear and anger rise in his chest, she shuffled over to Sorey and, without even a second of warning, plunged the knife straight through the back of his hand.

The scream of pain emanated from his lips echoed on the walls of the room, a sound which made Mikleo's heart stop; he could barely say a word from how paralysed hearing that scream made him. Yet it wasn't just from agony; flashes of a car which had burst into flames flashed in his mind, the cries and shouts of a child who had rolled out to safety, the fire reflected in eyes as wide as saucers, tears prickling in them, ready to fall down white cheeks –

“That's right,” Symonne said. “Relive it, relive it all …”

“Stop this!” Mikleo shouted, seeing the fear burn in Sorey's eyes. “This isn't going to make him join you!”

“But it will, because it'll leave him with no other choice,” she said, raising the knife again, but Maltran's voice stopped her.

“Symonne, let me. It's clearly affecting you.”

It most definitely was; Symonne's face seemed to be growing a little paler, the hand holding the knife trembling slightly. Mikleo guessed that this was from using a demonic weapon whilst she was an angel.

Yet she still shook her head. “You're only a hellion; whilst you can inflict damage and have them be haunted during a severe injury, only a being who is dead can truly use one of these to their full potential,” she said. She slashed a gash across Sorey's arm; he hissed, yet reacted much quieter this time. “We can do even minor injuries, yet still have the torturous effects … look, there it is now.”

For Sorey's eyes had gone blind once again, his mind once again replaying the past of its own accord; this time, it was a memory of him standing in the kitchen, preparing food for his partner who was in the bedroom, crying in the arms of her future wife. Little did either of the women know that Sorey himself was crying, a knife shaking in his hand as he attempted to cut vegetables. Forever hiding himself away, living his pain silently so it didn't affect others – he hadn't done so to himself in years, but now it was brought back once again, his whole body trembling.

“Please stop this,” Mikleo begged in a shaking voice, trying to prise himself away from Maltran, yet the hold on him grew tighter. “He doesn't deserve it!”

“In my eyes, he does for killing my master. Are you suffering, Shepherd? Do you wish to die? I'm afraid I can't grant you that.” She swiped the blade across his arm, yet this time, there was barely a reaction.

“I don't want to die,” he murmured, his lowered head rising. “I can't die, not when Mikleo is right there.” His voice grew louder, his eyes seeming a little more alive as they met Symonne's. “So if you think a couple of memories will get the better of me, you're foolish.”

Symonne blinked. She clearly hadn't expected Sorey to give such a strong response so soon. But she was soon smirking again. “All right, back to plan A, then. Maltran, keep hold of this one!”

Maltran nodded, releasing Mikleo before walking over. For a brief moment, Symonne was whispering to her, before they had soon swapped places; Sorey's arms, injured and weak, were pinned to his side, whereas Symonne was kicking Mikleo to the floor.

“Let's see how long you last whilst I play with your soul-mate right in front of your eyes. How shall we do this? We could always just do it by body part … which would you like first, Shepherd? Arms? Legs?”

“No, you can't –”

“Oh, you don't want his limbs to be injured? That's fine, we can always go for his pretty little face, can't we?”

With those words she grasped hold of his hair and smashed his face onto the tough ground below, his eyes squeezed shut with blood pouring out of his nose as it was raised. She did so again two more times, only provoked more by Sorey's desperation for her to stop. She only did so because the last thing she wanted was for Mikleo to fall unconscious and not have to deal with the pain.

“Would you kiss a face like this?” she asked Sorey, who was staring at the bruising on Mikleo's face in horror, the blood trickling over lips which were releasing shallow, rasped breaths.

“I – I'd do anything, just please –”

“Anything?” Symonne asked, dragging the blade of the knife across Mikleo's collarbone, a thin cut drawn across it. “What about joining us?”

Sorey stared in horror, knowing how long this could drag out for. He felt suddenly unsure of himself, what to do – how much of Mikleo's suffering could he bear witness to before he finally gave in? It was a question which Symonne was wondering herself, one she was quite clearly enjoying finding the answer to.

“H-He won't join you,” Mikleo ended up saying, opening his eyes to glare at her. “I'm not letting him. He's better than you.”

Symonne merely laughed, casting an arte which caused Mikleo to blow back from her, landing on his side painfully, certain he felt a bone in his body crack from the impact. “No, you're wrong. He'll give in. Won't you, Shepherd?”

When she received no answer, she cast another arte at Mikleo, this time hitting into his leg; he couldn't stop a yell in response, Maltran's grip tightening as Sorey increased the force in which he was trying to pull himself away with.

“Still nothing, huh? Well then.”

She nodded her head at Maltran, who then proceeded to slam Sorey's body against the floor, his head jolting to the side, facing away from Mikleo. His cuffed wrists were pressed beneath him painfully, yet he didn't care, not with Symonne's following words.

“Let's play a game. Can you guess which bone I'll break just from the sound?”

Sorey immediately thrashed under Maltran, screaming for Symonne to stop, yet he wasn't strong enough; the fight against Heldalf and his extra injuries from in this room were building up, the energy in his body slowly seeping away.

He wasn't listened to. There was a sickening crunch and an unbearable scream of agony from Mikleo, which soon reduced to merely whimpering, a sound which seemed to strike pain and fury right in Sorey's core.

“Listen to him, Shepherd. Listen to his pain. Pathetic, isn't it? Shall I break another and see what happens?”

“ _NO!”_

“No? Then have you changed your mind? Turn him around, Maltran. Let's help him make a decision.”

The woman did so, turning Sorey over as she said, “He's in utter agony right now.”

And he was. His cuffed hands could only rest on one of his legs as his body curled up, his head lowered as he panted for breath. But Sorey didn't need to see it – he was able to feel the throbbing pain in his own leg, the stinging from the artes. Even though he could feel the pain in his own wounds much more vividly, it was only these shared fainter sensations with Mikleo which truly mattered.

“This will stop if you just join me, _Sorey,”_ Symonne said, his name spat. “Don't you want to stop his suffering once and for all? All I'm asking is for you to lead us. You can protect him from _everything_ if you do.”

There was a small pause. “… Everything?”

“Yes, that's right. Just think; with your power, you could shield him from all harm which comes his way. Don't you want to finally protect him? And who knows … perhaps with enough power, you could even resurrect him. That's what you want, isn't it? To let him be protected, to live again as a human?”

“I could …”

“That's right.”

“D-Don't listen to her,” Mikleo gasped out, unable to catch his breath properly due to the pain coursing through his leg. “She's only lying to make you join her!”

He cried out as she placed her foot down on his leg, digging her heel into it. “Quiet,” she said. “I don't lie.” She turned her eyes to Sorey, voice growing gentler. “I don't have to do this. It's only because you won't be convinced.”

“Please, Sorey,” Mikleo begged. “It doesn't matter what happens to me, don't give in. Please.”

“I'm surprised you can still speak. Maybe you need more torture to shut that mouth of yours?”

“Please, don't hurt him!”

“Like I've told you,” Symonne said, not the slightest bit of emotion showing on her face as she slammed her staff down on Mikleo's broken leg and received a moan of pain in response, “I will only stop hurting him if you join us.”

“But … but …”

It was clear that Sorey was fighting an internal battle; there seemed to be only one way to stop this from happening, yet he didn't want to betray Mikleo. By now, seeing him being tortured this way meant that Sorey no longer cared for himself – if he had to become evil and throw his life away to save Mikleo, he would. But Mikleo was begging for him not to, and Sorey didn't know if he could bring himself to betray him in such a way, especially as he himself was remaining incredibly strong.

Symonne was now holding the knife once again, hand tightening on its handle. “What are you about to say?” she asked as she looked at Sorey. “Don't? Oh. What a shame.”

Still maintaining eye contact with him, she forcefully struck the knife down into Mikleo's other calf. By now, he didn't even have the strength to release much sound at all; his breath was trapped, heart seeming as though it had stopped from the pain now searing through his other leg, skin around the wound immediately inflaming.

“Oh, someone's losing consciousness,” she said as Mikleo's eyes closed, his breaths becoming increasingly more shallow. “I might have to leave you for a moment. We can't have you not feeling this pain to its full potential, can we?”

She got up, leaving Mikleo laid on the floor, eyes still closed yet mind still awake, even though his body seemed to be limp. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at Sorey. “Your face sure looks dark there. You feeling okay?”

“I'm going to kill you,” he growled, though Symonne merely laughed.

“Whatever you say, Shepherd. Though remember that I'm even willing to put my life on the line if it means you'll be tainted.” She paused, foot tapping on the ground. “Wait. I have another life better for that. I'll only be a moment; make sure you don't let go of him, Maltran.”

The woman nodded, lifting Sorey up and wrapping an arm tightly around his neck, the other hand holding the knife which Symonne just threw at her against his neck. Sorey cared little for it; as he watched Symonne silently unlock the door and leave the room, he simply wished that his body would regain its strength so he could fight back. Yet it still had no energy and was flaring with pain; if this is what Sorey felt like, then how on Earth was it for Mikleo?

“Mikleo,” he spoke out, his voice desperate. “Say something, please …”

But Mikleo only opened his eyes for a moment, giving Sorey a shaky smile before he had to close his eyes again. It seemed as though he was forcing himself to stay awake even with the closing of his eyes; a mixture of guilt and love rushed through Sorey when he realised that it was likely because Mikleo was making sure that Sorey wouldn't give in to Symonne's words.

“You know that there's only one true way to save him,” Maltran said in his ear. “Symonne has only stopped hurting him temporarily. It'll carry on and on until you give in.”

“Why are you doing this?” Sorey demanded, expecting his voice to shake, yet it was simply filled with the frustration of someone who had been betrayed. “What happened to you?!”

“I've been like this for a long time. I thought perhaps … perhaps I might have changed by adopting a daughter.” There was a small pause. “But the world is too dark for some of us. We allow it to take us over, blinding us. It's a much easier path to fall down.”

“Just because it's easier it doesn't mean it's right.”

“Of course it doesn't. I know I am a disgusting person. Actually, I'm not even a person anymore. But it is the only path for some of us.”

Sorey did not have the chance to say another word to her; Symonne was once again opening the door. She was panting as she held up a body by the collar of a short-sleeved shirt, black wings stretched from their back. She threw this body to the floor before slamming the door behind her and locking it once more.

For a moment, Sorey thought that the person could have been dead, but when Symonne rolled him over so his face was in view of Sorey, it was clear that he was breathing and was merely unconscious. That wasn't the only thing he saw; there was a sense of familiarity in that face.

“Do you remember, Shepherd? From when you were a child? Think.”

He didn't have to think for long from those words. It had been a long time ago, almost twenty years, yet he would never forget that face, or hair the colour of Muse's. He would never forget them for as long as he lived.

“Michael,” he said quietly, feeling his body tremble with anger, fingers twitching with the rapidly increasing desire to inflict pain on the already unconscious form.

“M-Michael?” whispered Mikleo, who opened one eye slowly to peer at the man who had his back to him. “That's …”

“Yes, the man who had once abused your boyfriend and his mother. We caught him snooping around here, so I thought a nice family reunion was in order.”

“Why did you bring _him_ here?” Sorey snapped. “What has he got to do with this?”

“He has _everything_ to do with this. But of course, the Lady of the Lake would have never told you – if, that is, she knows.”

“What do you mean?”

“It wasn't Lunarre, or one of my underlings which killed Mikleo,” she said quietly, kicking at Michael's stomach. “It was this man right here.”

A silence fell, disbelief rising in both Sorey and Mikleo, the latter unable to speak. “You're lying,” Sorey said. “I – I read the Celestial Record, it says how the last Shepherd felt like he was falling into malevolence. That is why he must have –”

“Abused them? Perhaps you're right. But this man is definitely the one who had killed Mikleo. Isn't that such a tragedy?” She turned to Mikleo, who was staring at him with strained eyes. “How does that make you feel, knowing that he was the one who stripped you of your freedom? You and the Shepherd could have lived together as humans, loved each other, truly experience what a relationship is … yet you didn't because of your own family.”

“That's not true!” Sorey shouted, even though he knew it was hopeless just from the shake of Symonne's head.

“I only tell the truth.” She walked over to the wall where she had placed Sorey's sword down, lifting it and gliding her fingers across the blade. “I'm going to give you a chance that you would never have again for as long as you live. If you're not a fool, you'll accept it.” She nodded to Maltran, who released Sorey and backed away. Symonne then lifted the sword before walking over to him. A key unlocked the cuffs chaining his wrists together, before she placed the sword on the floor in front of him. “You will kill Michael. Don't you want to do so? He hurt him whilst he was alive … a poor, screaming child, who deserved nothing but love. Innocent yet punished. Then ten years later, he was killed … don't you think that's merciless? He's already near death, your sword could be enough to finish the job. And even if it isn't, don't you want to bring him more pain?”

“S-Stop it,” Mikleo whispered. “Don't make him. Sorey, p-please …”

But for possibly the first time, Sorey couldn't listen to Mikleo's voice. It seemed distant. Everything seemed distant in that moment but the sword laid in front of him and the body right next to it. His ears picked up no sound but the screaming in his head to kill, all he felt was the further twitching of his fingers to pick up the sword, his nose only seemed to smell the blood he needed to spill …

“I've got to do it,” he murmured, his hand picking up the sword. “For Mikleo.”

“Sorey, I d-don't want you to –”

“That's right, Shepherd,” Symonne said, provoking him in a soft voice. “For your lover, you must kill the man who took _everything_ from him.”

His senses now truly blind, Sorey pushed himself closer to Michael on the floor. Dull green eyes stared down at the man before him. His face was similar to his sister's. The one who had been nothing but kind, yet had also suffered pain, watching her very son die in front of her eyes. The sword in Sorey's hands lifted, before being forced back down.

Only it never reached its destination in Michael's chest.

Even with unbearable pain covering the entirety of his legs, Mikleo had somehow managed to drag himself over, cuffed wrists now hovering over Michael. Between his shaking hands was the blade of Sorey's sword, blood starting to seep out of them, but he seemed to not care.

“Please, Sorey,” he pleaded, his eyes barely able to stay open. “Don't kill him. For me, p-please don't …”

The hands slipped away from the sword, Sorey reacting quickly by taking it in one hand and using his other to grasp onto Mikleo's shoulder, stopping him from falling on top of Michael. Sorey was soon shifting around Michael to hold Mikleo against him, his sword directed at Maltran and Symonne. Both were stunned and frozen to the spot; it was clear that neither had expected Sorey to be able to resist.

“If Mikleo doesn't want me to kill, then I won't,” Sorey said, fire now returning to his eyes, flickering with determination. “But you're sure as Hell not hurting him ever again. None of you.”

He settled Mikleo's body onto his shoulder, ignoring the pain flaring in his body and wounds as he lifted him up from the ground, standing tall on his feet. He glanced at Mikleo before fixing his gaze on the two women, his grip on the handle of his sword tightening as he stepped forward.

They were thrown back against the wall by an arte, neither having a chance to react as Sorey once again swiped his sword at them. Symonne, already injured by her previous fight with Edna, fell down against the floor, breathing heavily. Sorey stepped back when Maltran plunged her knife towards him with a growl, yet neither continued due to a sudden crash in the room.

A strong blast of wind had destroyed the door entirely, Zaveid immediately entering with the bellow, “Where are they?!” as the girls walked behind him; Edna keeping herself up by her umbrella, Alisha's arm around Lailah's shoulders.

“Everyone,” Sorey said in relief, his voice almost breathless. Lailah's eyes widened, and they immediately exchanged an agreement with eye contact. Alisha was left to steady herself against a wall as Sorey and Lailah both shouted, _“Fethmus Mioma!”_

Still balancing Mikleo on his shoulder, Sorey breathed out in relief as he felt their arte healing him, before he conjured a fury of fire which consumed Maltran. Only moments later, Zaveid didn't hesitate to point his gun at Maltran, turning to Alisha for a moment.

“Will you let me do this?”

There was only a small hesitation before she said, “Yes. That is not the woman who I knew.”

And so, Zaveid nodded and pulled the trigger, Alisha closing her eyes as Maltran fell down onto the floor. Their attention was next drawn to Symonne, who was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, hands holding her head as her body trembled.

“I only wanted the freedom he granted,” she was saying to no one in particular. “It was all for him, only ever for him …”

“I can't kill her,” Zaveid said, putting his gun away. “Regardless of what she's done, she's still an angel. I don't want a human to do it, either.”

“We'll take her prisoner,” Edna said, picking up the spare pair of cuffs and locking them around her wrists. Meanwhile, the Armatus broke apart, Sorey now propping Mikleo by the wall, each angel beginning to heal him, Alisha unlocking the cuffs on his wrists. Sorey could only bury his head into Mikleo's shoulder, able to properly hold him once the angels had healed him sufficiently enough.

It didn't take long for Sorey to burst into tears, hugging Mikleo as tightly as he dared. “I'm sorry,” he gasped out. “I'm so, so sorry …”

“You didn't give in,” Mikleo said softly, weakly returning the embrace and stroking Sorey's hair as he continued to sob. “I'm proud of you.”

“I almost did, I was s-so close …”

“But you didn't. And that's what's important.”

The crying continued for a time they couldn't count, Lailah now healing Michael as she watched the couple with a mixture of joy and sadness. She could no longer feel any malevolence from Sorey, and she was sure that it was Mikleo to thank for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK I THINK I NEED TO CLEAR TWO MAIN THINGS UP.
> 
> 1.) I made Alisha be able to Armatize because I wanted her to grow more powerful due to Rose's death. I wouldn't have made her Armatize if I didn't kill off Rose.  
> 2.) Sorey didn't fall into his nap because one, I thought it would be predictable and two, I haven't included the whole Maotelus thing. It's because I don't know enough about it and because of that, I've tried to make the Five Lords seem like a legend. This is because of how angels are more religion-based, and it cannot be known for sure if religious figures are real, so I wanted to apply that to the Lords. Gaaah, I hope this makes sense and you don't hate the chapter too much ... I'm very nervous ;-; Please please don't shout at me ...
> 
> Though on a nicer note, this is now as long as Half Blood Prince, continuing my theme of HP word counts! I just ... I hold that book in my hand, and I can't believe that I have written that much for this ...
> 
> Two more chapters to go, now. Are you ready to see what happens next? I hope so! Thanks for reading!


	25. Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the war now over, everyone is now ready to attempt to continue living their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks back on last chapter and whistles*
> 
> I had been thinking about that torture scene for two months. Glad you seemed to find it brutal.  
> Enjoy this one!

Immediate emotional scars were inflicted on those who had fought.

War itself brought a trauma which could only truly be understood by those who had dealt with its wrath. The screams of agony, the injuries their eyes were forced to witness, pain on themselves which could never be forgotten – it was hardly something a person could walk away from without emotional damage.

Yet it had not just been the war which had scarred them. Rose had been a beautiful person who deserved more than what she had been faced with. After all of her struggles and how far she had come to remove her fears, it was cruel that her life had been taken from her. She had finally achieved happiness only for it to be torn away from her.

Then there was Dezel, someone who had watched over Rose her whole life and witnessed her growth. The others knew that even if Dezel hadn't sacrificed himself, he would have simply lived in overwhelming guilt and sorrow, perhaps even falling into malevolence. After all, in his eyes, he would have failed her once again. It seemed as though his sacrifice was the only thing he had been able to do in order to make use of himself.

He wasn't the only one who had felt guilty over Rose. Alisha kept questioning countless times that if she had been more strategic against Lunarre, if she had simply been more careful, that Rose perhaps wouldn't have had to die for her. The image of her own spear plunging itself through Rose's skull would never leave her for as long as she lived. It haunted her nightmares, even her daydreams – not only had she lost her wife, the one she had even wanted to adopt children with before long, she had also witnessed her death. She believed that she was only pulling through because of the support the others gave her and telling herself that Rose's death had at least contributed to them saving the world.

Rose had been buried with her parents. It only seemed right for her to be reunited with them after so long. Yet the funeral wasn't silent and dark, people sobbing into handkerchiefs as they mourned and regretted what happened. Instead, it was how Rose had always said she wanted her funeral to be. Her favourite music played, those who loved her saying heartfelt messages which did not utter a word of regret. It was a positive time, filled with cherished memories.

Alisha smiled as Sorey had rested his hand on her shoulder before she stood up, walking over to the front of the room. Instead of black, she wore white speckled with pale pink, the exact same colours she had worn at her wedding.

“As many of you know, Rose and I met during our teen years,” she said to those watching her; the humans sat in their chairs, Lailah, Edna, Mikleo and Zaveid watching on the sidelines, the latter with his arm around Mikleo to keep his frail body upright, which had been struggling to heal. “She was … different, than anyone I had met before. I saw that there was something unique to her. She was bubbly and cheerful, her smile always brightening my day. Yet I had noticed at first that this had always seemed a little forced, as though she was pushing back pain I didn't know of. But soon enough, she seemed to grow brighter. I didn't realise at the time that it was because she had fallen in love with me.

“I met Sorey when we were both training together to join the police force. I instantly fell for him, and him me, and we became a couple. All the while, Rose stayed her positive self, even though it hurt her to watch me fall for someone else. I didn't know about this. Perhaps if I did, I might have not been in a relationship with Sorey, and instead do so with Rose … sorry, I do not mean offence by that, Sorey.” She smiled over the chuckles she received in return. “I fell pregnant with Sorey's child at twenty. It was a very joyful time, even if it was a worry. I was certain we would push through the troubles and be blessed with a child. Unfortunately, this was not the case. During my second scan, it turned out the baby had passed away.”

A silence fell for a moment, Alisha swallowing for a moment before continuing.

“Rose supported Sorey and I immensely. I will forever be grateful that she showed no happiness over my announcement that Sorey and I had broken up; she was truly upset for me, even if this gave her a chance. And a chance is what she _did_ receive, for I soon realised that I had feelings for her. It had actually thrown me off guard; after all, I never really did explore my sexuality. The breakup helped both of us with that. But it made so, so much sense to love her, and love her I did – or do, for that matter.

“Contrary to one might think, I was actually the one to propose to her, even if she was so much more forward than I am. Sorey had helped me do so. She had a particularly tough court case to do that day, and I wanted to treat her to a romantic dinner, followed by a pampering session. She might have been a tomboy, but she loved that kind of thing as much as anyone.” Alisha paused for a moment to smile over the memory she was giving to the others, before continuing. “Her favourite thing was how I had decorated the house with rose petals and had frozen some in ice cubes to store our champagne. That was Sorey's idea. It was during the meal that I proposed to her. I had never seen her be more excited.

“Many of you came to the wedding, so I'm sure you know just how beautiful she was there. I could never forget the flower in her hair, or the detailing of her dress … she had never been more radiant. Yet she was just as beautiful waking up to me every morning, with her hair messy as she sleepily asked me for coffee. It is the small things which I will miss most of all about Rose, and will cherish more than anything.”

She was unable to stop tears from falling in this moment, yet she was still smiling, even when she saw that many people had tears now trailing down their own faces.

“Rose pulled me through a dark time, and I did the same for her without even realising. We were equals, and we shared a love I never knew was possible. Whether I will love again, I cannot be sure, but I will always remember this love I had been blessed with.

“Your time was stopped far too soon, Rose, but I hope that the years you had spent with me had been the happiest of them all. I will love and miss you.”

The room was silent upon her finishing, overcome with emotion and unable to speak or move. She wasn't surprised in the slightest when she saw that Sorey was the first to clap his hands together, getting to his feet with a wide smile on his face, tears trickling down it. Sergei sat besides him followed, wiping his eyes with his arm, along with his twin brother Boris, those who had been in the same line as work as Rose before finally, the whole room was stood and applauding. Alisha could feel her body tremble slightly, filled with a gratitude for these people she couldn't express. For a moment, her eyes fell on the angels, who were clapping for her themselves; except for Zaveid, who wove his spare hand in the air and mouthed _'Can't do it!'_ to her, which caused her to let out a soft laugh.

She made her way back over to the seats, where she was immediately pulled into Sorey's arms, his hand resting on the back of her head.

“That was beautiful,” he said. “I'm proud of you.”

She smiled as she pulled away gently, wiping the rest of her tears away. “This is what she would have wanted, right? For us all to smile over her instead of be upset?”

Sorey nodded. “Definitely. This is perfect for her.”

Following this came the carrying of the ebony coffin outside, which would have been distressing if it wasn't for the bright sky outside, a rainbow streamed across it. It had been raining heavily prior to the funeral. It felt as though it was a message Rose had given to Alisha, responding to her smiles.

The coffin was buried, Alisha the last person to throw soil onto it. Her eyes managed to remain dry as she turned to the others.

“I believe I have a buffet for us booked,” she said to Sorey, her smile bright. She was indeed correct; following the funeral came the celebration of Rose's life, in which a large and glorious buffet was waiting for them at a pub for a few close guests.

There, her eyes widened as she saw Mayvin drinking a glass of beer. He grinned upon seeing her, placing the glass down to give her a hug.

“I didn't see that you made it!” she exclaimed. “It's been too long, the last time we saw each other was at the wedding, wasn't it?”

The man nodded. “Yeah, getting caught up in exploring the world is pretty easy!” he exclaimed, though his expression soon softened. “We might not have been related by blood, but that little troublemaker was the best granddaughter I could've asked for. You treated her well, so thank you for that.”

“I only treated her as well as she treated me. There is really nothing to thank me for.”

“Nah, I think there is,” he smiled at her, causing her to smile back immediately.

“Thank you.”

The two talked for a little while longer, before she noticed Lailah gesturing to Alisha from the doorway to the pub. She excused herself and followed Lailah outside, where she found that the other angels and Sorey were looking out on the gardens which laid near the building.

“How are you?” Sorey asked as she walked over to them.

“I'm better than I thought I'd be, actually,” Alisha answered truthfully. “I'm very distraught, but I don't want to dwell on that. I'm just trying to do what Rose would have wanted.”

Lailah took Alisha's hand, squeezing it gently. “You're a very strong person, Alisha. You took on all those burdens so soon after learning of them, turning into an incredibly strong fighter, even finding the power to Armatize … I'm very proud of you.”

“When I think about all of that, it was always for other people,” she said. “I wanted to help Sorey, protect everyone around me … only I failed with that last one a little.”

“Hey, it's not your fault,” Mikleo said immediately. “There was nothing any of us could do.”

She smiled. “Thank you. I do know that; I just hope that I can believe it properly over time.”

“You will,” Sorey said. “Believe in yourself.”

Her smile grew over those words. She knew that it might have been tough to do just that when no matter what, she would likely always feel at least partly responsible for Rose's death. Yet believing in herself is how she had come this far, how she was now blessed with confidence and the will to protect others; they had naturally already existed, but both were now much stronger after all she had achieved.

She also had to believe in herself because she knew that it was what Rose would have wanted her to do, and even if Rose was dead, Alisha still wanted to grant her of every wish.

 

* * *

 

 

Whilst the others had to recover from the war, Lailah and Zaveid, the least injured of them all, had travelled to Heaven in order to explain what happened. After already receiving permission off Sorey, they told them of the relation between him and Heldalf. They said to make sure that Sorey was never pushed so far into becoming tainted again, and of course, Lailah and Zaveid said that they would. Yet with the threats gone, Sorey was doing far much better, even in regards to Michael.

He had been healed successfully, and had turned out to not be in critical danger. When Lailah saw how unsettled Sorey and Mikleo were by his presence, she quickly said that they didn't know the full story about Michael's actions. And of course, he gave this story. He gave the exact same information as he had done so with Lailah; how much malevolence had taken over his mind, that he had been using his new life as a demon to spy on those who were rebelling, and then why exactly he had to kill Mikleo. He mentioned retrieving the bow for them too, yet he didn't speak about this for long, which clearly showed that he wasn't saying any of his story to make himself seem better.

“I'm only saying this as I want you to understand what I have been doing all of this time,” he said. “Of course, it is also to apologise, but I don't expect you to accept that apology.”

There was a pause as Mikleo thought about these words. “I don't know if I can forgive you properly just yet,” he eventually said. “However, I can see how much you've done for us, and I can accept that apology.”

Michael smiled. “Thank you, Mikleo. That means a lot to me.” He looked at Sorey, whose expression was blank – he understood this completely. “I know that you despise me and that's for a very good reason. But I want to say how much I admire you. I was never able to fight off malevolence like you did, even though you had everything going against you. That was an incredibly strong feat and only further proof that you are a perfect Shepherd.”

“It was all thanks to Mikleo, really,” Sorey replied. “I wouldn't have done it without him.”

“Still, it wasn't all me,” Mikleo smiled, squeezing his hand. “It was down to you as well.”

Sorey frowned. “Still, your body …”

His words drifted off, though he didn't have to say much more for Michael and Mikleo to know what Sorey meant. Everything had piled on top of him now, and it was clear that the rest of this current life would be weak. There was no telling how much his lifespan had been shortened, or how much he would be able to recover his power.

It was less of a worry now that they had put a stop to the Age of Calamity. Mikleo didn't have to throw himself into danger, and he and Sorey were now free to live a much more peaceful life. Yet it was still hard to enjoy this life when they were so unsure about Mikleo's strength.

They remained silent until Lailah had walked over to them, smiling. “I have received a message from Heaven. They would like to see you both and speak to you. I can imagine they want to thank you in person.”

“Oh, should we go now?” Sorey asked.

“Well, if that's all right with both of you. Edna will be coming, too. Zaveid is staying with Alisha – I think he kind of sees himself as her Guardian Angel, now.”

Mikleo smiled. “I never knew he had such a sweet side. All right, we'll get going.” He turned to Michael. “Thank you for telling us your story. I've always hated your actions and I don't think I could ever forgive you for it. But I feel as though I can understand you better, now.”

“That's more than I could have ever wished for.”

With a curt nod, Mikleo then took hold of Sorey's hand, he and Lailah transporting themselves to Heaven, where they found Edna just outside Elysia's gate.

“Well, you surely took your time.”

Mikleo chuckled, giving her a gentle shove. “Shut it.”

The small group wandered inside Heaven, immediately feeling relaxed from the serene atmosphere. It was a little less quiet than previously, however; this was due to a combination of angels still talking excitedly about their feat, as well as healing taking place.

“It seems like we didn't lose that many,” Sorey said, glancing around. “How many casualties were there?”

“A few dozen, which honestly is far better than I imagined, especially as our help came from many different areas of Heaven,” Lailah replied. “Their loss is of course upsetting, but their sacrifice wasn't in vain, and we will cherish their lives forever.” She then smiled, gesturing to further down the village. “Zenrus has asked us to meet him in his home. It is up there.”

They followed her as she led the way across the grass, a few angels smiling and waving as they passed. It was only a couple of minutes later in which Lailah was knocking on Zenrus' door, waiting for a moment before there was a call for them to enter.

“Good afternoon to each of you,” Zenrus said, bowing his head. “Please feel free to take a seat.”

They did so, resting down on cushions with their knees. Zenrus was soon sitting opposite them, lips stretched into a smile.

“I have been looking forward to saying this; thank you for how much you have helped us.”

“It's fine, really!” Sorey exclaimed. “I mean, it was the work of all of us.”

“Perhaps, but it was each of your efforts who allowed us to achieve victory. I have already told Lailah and Zaveid of this, and now it is time for you three to hear this, too.

“Edna, you lost the person who had been most precious to you, yet instead of allowing that to consume you, you took your pain and used it as power. That is a feat stronger than many could achieve and not all would find that strength. You fought Symonne, who I have always known has a great deal of power, on your own and by fighting her, you helped bring their victory.”

Edna, who often accepted praise with an air of smugness, could only smile and seem a little embarrassed over his words.

“Then Mikleo, who has been through more than anyone should even have to think of dealing with. You had your body damaged and was struck with understandable fear over what has happened to you, yet like Edna, you controlled your emotions and turned them into strength. Not only that, but you helped to stop Sorey falling into darkness. In that moment, you truly did save the world.

“And then Sorey himself. As you have probably already been told, it is incredible that you were able to take on such strong burdens after living a normal life, witness so much pain and yet still not allow yourself to fall. I no longer sense malevolence from you, and the fact that you have managed to clear yourself of it is incredible. You are truly a noble Shepherd and I cannot ever remember a time where I had been given the pleasure of meeting one who was this strong, this _incredible._ You might be a bit of a reckless fool at times,” Sorey grinned at this, which caused Zenrus to grin back for a moment, “but you certainly are worthy of being called the Shepherd.”

There was a pause, Zenrus' eyes showing that he was thinking. His expression softened as he looked at them both, appearing sympathetic.

“You are both likely thinking of the future now that this calamity has been stopped, aren't you?”

Sorey nodded slowly. “We're trying to live in the moment, but it's difficult,” he said. “I mean, it's going to be painful for both of us, and who knows how long it'll take before we can live together normally.”

“I'm sure we can manage it,” Mikleo continued. “But it is definitely something we're worried about.”

“And for understandable reasons. That is why I wish to help you.”

There was a pause, all four of them looking at Zenrus in disbelief.

“How can you help them?” Lailah eventually asked, the only one who could find her voice.

“Whilst I don't like to boast, I have a great amount of power,” Zenrus explained. “This kind of power that some of us are blessed with allow us to make exceptions for those who are worthy. Mikleo, you are more worthy than anyone I have ever known. After all of your suffering, how much freedom has been taken from you, I want to be able to give you more of a chance.”

“How?” Mikleo asked quietly. “How can I get that chance?”

“Your death was brought before it was destined to do so. Everyone has to die, and we know when this should happen. Your life was cut too early, meaning that it is not affecting any kind of balance by finding a solution for this. If it is what you desire, I can allow you to live again as a human with the amount of time you had lived previously.”

The group were stunned into silence. “Y-You …” Mikleo stammered. “You can do that?”

Zenrus smiled. “I would never lie to you.”

“So until he is thirty-six …” Sorey said quietly. “You could let him live from now until then?”

“It is not a long time, I know. I cannot bring any more years than which he had been allowed.”

Mikleo shook his head. “That's fine, and is still better than I could have ever wished for. I never imagined I could live as a human again, not without dying as an angel …” He suddenly looked concerned, however. “But isn't this a lot of power to use?”

“Admittedly, yes. My death is drawing near already, and doing this would likely cut my remaining years down further.”

“By how much?”

“I would say I could live another two years after doing this.”

Mikleo's heart sank. When considering the lifespan of angels, two years was closer to two weeks. “I can't let you do that to your life, not for me.”

“I am dying anyway, Mikleo,” he smiled. “I would rather use my remaining power to grant you this. This will allow you to remain as an angel until Sorey dies himself, and then you will both be reincarnated at the same time. This is the best way for the two of you to come together, live the life that you deserve.”

“You would be able to do everything that you want,” Edna said quietly, in shock herself over the offer. “You'd be seen, be able to live as a human, but then your old resonance would return so you could still speak to us.”

“And his memories as an angel would remain?” Lailah asked, receiving a nod in return.

“He would start to live again as though he never died at eighteen, yet he will still have memories of those years of being an angel.”

They could hardly believe that such an opportunity was being offered to them. Sorey rested a hand on Mikleo's knee, squeezing it gently as their eyes met.

“What do you say?” he asked softly.

“I still …” Mikleo paused, biting his lip. “I still feel horrid over reducing your years.”

“Please, don't be,” Zenrus said reassuringly. “I would not offer to do this if it wasn't something I want to do for you.”

Mikleo looked back to Sorey, images going through his mind. Being able to walk freely, laugh and talk whilst holding hands, without worrying what people would think about Sorey. Going for meals together, visiting museums – all the normal, beautiful everyday moments which regular couples took for granted. They could be a part of _their_ life. They could truly embrace their love.

After these thoughts, Mikleo nodded slowly. “As long as you truly are happy about doing this, then I accept your offer.” He smiled, swallowing when he could feel tears threatening. “And thank you.”

“Just make sure you have one of these two give you a lift to Heaven from time to time so you can say hello.”

Mikleo laughed. “Of course I will.”

Zenrus was then holding his hands out to Mikleo, a golden glow emanating from them which soon began to wrap Mikleo's body, shining beautifully as the light cast off the room. It felt like a natural instinct to close his eyes, and so he did so, welcoming the peaceful sensation enveloping his body.

“There is one last thing,” Zenrus said, his voice now seeming a little distant. “As it would naturally arise confusion, those who once knew you will not be able to recognise you. However, I will permit one exception so the two of you can meet again. Just make sure your mother doesn't have a heart attack when she sees you.”

Mikleo's heart skipped a beat. His mother. His beautiful, courageous mother who he had not been able to speak to in years. He would see her … he could already feel the warmth of her arms, smell the soft scent of vanilla …

With a smile on his face from this welcoming image, he felt as though he could now open his eyes. He blinked, doing so again several more times when he realised that he was no longer standing in Zenrus' home, but rather in his and Sorey's apartment.

“Mikleo,” a voice then said from behind him, which caused him to turn around. He was met with Sorey's wide green eyes, who could only freeze in place. “You're …”

His heart beating faster, Mikleo turned to face the mirror which hung above the mantel piece, a small gasp escaping him. No wings. Natural, shoulder-length hair of a light brown. It had worked. He was standing here, feeling the same as ever before, only he was dead no longer. He was well and truly alive.

“W-Woah, hey!” he was suddenly exclaiming as arms wrapped around his waist lifted him up and spun him around, though he was soon laughing delightfully alongside Sorey, wrapping his arms around his neck as he was settled back down onto the ground. They simply held each other for a while, basking in the joy of how the unbelievable had happened.

Sorey pulled back eventually to kiss him, a large smile on his face once their lips separated.

“You're crying,” Mikleo said, removing on arm from around Sorey's neck to wipe away his tears.

“You are too, though,” Sorey said, before bringing Mikleo closer again, squeezing him tighter. “It's strange to hug you without wings in the way. It's just ... I can't believe it."

Mikleo chuckled softly, remembering his words the one day his wings had been tied down underneath his shirt. “Do I still really look that bad without wings?"

Sorey cupped Mikleo's face with his hands, a couple more tears falling down his face, shaking his head. “Of course not,” he said quietly. “You're alive. You could never be more beautiful than this.”

They were soon kissing again, their lips tasting just the same as they had ever done, yet now death wasn't parting them, the kiss suddenly felt more alive than in the past.

 

* * *

 

 

Even though he had only just been brought back to life, Mikleo wanted to see his mother almost instantly. Sorey, of course, understood when he was told of this that night. The two hadn't chosen to sleep, at first; all they wanted to do was lie in each other's arms, Sorey stroking Mikleo's back without wings in the way, the only sign that they had once been there existing as two very faint scars near his shoulder blades.

“I want to see her tomorrow, while you're not in work,” Mikleo had said quietly. “You have her number now, so I was thinking if you could ask her if she wanted to see you.”

Sorey smiled, brushing away strands of hair. He still wasn't accustomed to them not being as pale. “If that's what you want, then I'll ask.”

“I just hope it's not short notice for her.”

“If I say it's about you, then she probably won't mind.”

Mikleo hummed in agreement, resting his head on Sorey's chest. “I wonder how she's going to react.”

“Honestly, you better wait on the sidelines for a bit so that she doesn't faint or something,” Sorey said, chuckling softly.

“Yeah, that's probably true,” Mikleo replied, smiling in amusement. “Still … you have no idea how this feels. Just the thought of going out there too, and having people _see_ me …”

“They'll finally get to see how beautiful you are. But wait, that's already happened before! How many people have you caused to faint just by seeing your face?”

Mikleo sighed, shaking his head, but he didn't stop smiling. “Good grief.”

“Anyway, I think we should get to sleep,” Sorey suggested. “After all, you actually truly do need sleep now.”

On cue, Mikleo yawned, snuggling closer to Sorey. “That's true. I'm feeling it.”

Sorey smiled, placing a kiss down on Mikleo's head. “Then sleep well, angel.”

They fell asleep quickly, not once waking up until the following morning at around 8:00am. Sorey woke first, yawning loudly as he stretched his arms, smiling down at Mikleo. He looked the same as he always did with his hands resting by his face, mouth slightly open as he breathed softly, yet different all at once from his hair and no wings wrapping around him.

As though sensing Sorey's gaze on him, his eyes opened slowly as he stirred, blinking up at him.

“Morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning,” Mikleo replied, sitting up himself and barely having chance to rub his eyes before Sorey's arms were wrapping around him to bring him closer.

“I still can't believe this is real,” Sorey said quietly, placing a kiss down on Mikleo's shoulder.

“Honestly, I don't think I'll ever be over it. Eighteen years of this … it might not seem like much, but just think of everything we'll be able to do in that time.”

“I definitely can't wait.” A thought came to Sorey's mind as he pulled away. “Do you actually have anything you're thinking you'd like to do?”

Mikleo paused, his eyes thoughtful. “It came as such as a surprise that I've actually not thought of anything but seeing my mother.” A smile soon broke out on his face. “But now I think about it, I want to get the chance to do things I wanted to achieve before I died.”

Sorey smiled back, circling his thumb on the back of Mikleo's hand. “Like what?”

“Finish college, get a job in the culinary field, travel and discover things I never got the chance to see … just that kind of stuff. Simple, really, but they're extraordinary for me.”

“Then we'll make sure you can do all that. Just make sure I'm in on this travelling too, okay?”

Mikleo laughed softly, nodding. “Of course you are, you idiot.”

“Come on, let's get dressed, then.”

Mikleo's now lack of wings made even getting dressed stranger; whilst the wings had always poked through the material magically, it was still unusual that there was nothing being thrown over them.

“You don't have to just _stare_ at my body, you know,” Mikleo teased when he caught Sorey's stare. “It's all yours.”

Sorey laughed, shaking his head. “I'm not thinking like that. It's your wings again … or lack of them, anyway.”

“It really is going to take some getting used to,” Mikleo said, peering over his shoulder. “I keep tensing my back muscles to try and move them. It feels weird not being able to conjure water, too.”

“I forgot about that,” Sorey said, suddenly realising that Mikleo being human meant he would no longer have the power of angels. “What's it like? Not having magic anymore, I mean.”

“It's definitely weird. Because I _should_ feel like I'm weaker considering I don't have any magic left, but I don't have that damage on it anymore. I guess I just feel … normal.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“I think so.”

Sorey smiled, planting a kiss on Mikleo's lips. The two were soon to have breakfast, before they were exiting the apartment. Sorey turned as Mikleo hesitated outside of it.

“You okay?” he asked, receiving a slow nod in return.

“Yeah, I just … this is going to be the first time in years that regular humans will be able to see me, so it's a bit nerve-wrecking.”

“Don't worry, we'll be going in the car.”

To his surprise, Mikleo shook his head. “If it's not a bother, can we get the train? I know it might seem like a bit much all at once, but … well, I just want to come to terms with the fact that I'm alive again.”

“Of course that's not a bother,” Sorey said gently, squeezing Mikleo's hand. Mikleo smiled gratefully, the two then descending the stairs and heading outside.

Whilst no one paid them much attention as they made their way through the streets, just the fact that both knew that Mikleo could be seen felt like they were in an entirely different world. Simply the feel of Sorey's hand in his whilst the breeze brushed against him felt incredible. They didn't have to worry about appearances anymore.

It was inside the station when reality hit them properly; a hurrying woman had bumped into Mikleo, apologising before she continued. He could feel emotion grip at his chest. She wasn't confused over bumping into a strange entity, looking around her. She had seen him right there, not knowing what that meant to him.

“You know, I'll have to be keeping an eye out from now on,” Sorey said as they began to walk over to purchase their tickets.

“What for?”

“Someone might try to steal you away from me.”

Mikleo laughed, shaking his head. “I highly doubt it.”

“I don't. Just how could someone resist that cute face?”

“You're really taking advantage of how you can speak to me in public now, aren't you?”

“Absolutely. Hey there!” he greeted the staff member. “Can I have two return tickets to Pendrago, please?”

“Of course.” The man accepted the money handed to him, printing off the tickets before sliding them under the glass screen. “Here you are. Enjoy your trip!”

“Thanks!” Sorey replied, smiling for a moment at how he saw Mikleo's eyes light up from the man shifting his gaze between them both. This smile soon grew into a smirk as he held out his hand, coins in his palm. “Now, what I paid with is called a £20 note. What I have here is the change. As you can see, there's –”

“Sorey. I know how to use money.”

“Just thought you might've forgotten!” Sorey exclaimed, laughing as Mikleo rolled his eyes.

“I want to die again.”

“Hey, don't say that, I still need to teach you how getting the train works.”

“I went on one with you literally just _months_ ago!”

“Still, just in case …”

He laughed again when Mikleo gave him a small push. “Stop it.”

“All right, all right, I'm sorry …”

The two were soon settling down next to each other on the train, Sorey letting Mikleo sit by the window seat before sliding in after him, eyes looking out of the window for a moment before he turned to Sorey, smiling.

“You know, I'm really nervous about this,” he said. “But I don't think I'm even noticing that much because of how excited I am about everything.”

“You don't have to be nervous, anyway,” Sorey responded, taking his hand. “I mean, she's your mother.”

“Still a mother I've not spoken to since I was …” He paused, clearly remembering that people could overhear him on the train. “Since before everything.”

“It'll be fine, though. She's going to be overjoyed.”

The image of Muse smiling brilliantly at him with glistening eyes formed in his head, and his own smile grew. “That's true.”

The journey to Pendrago on the train wasn't hugely long, just barely under half an hour with a few stops in between. Time seemed to pass fairly quickly at first, Mikleo's eyes staring out at the Meadow of Triumph, before it started to drag more. Eventually, however, they were leaving the station hand in hand, Sorey's spare hand pulling out his phone to check the time.

“I said I'd meet her at one of the parks here at about twenty minutes from now,” he said, returning the phone to his pocket. “It's pretty quiet, so I thought it'd be best. You can wait nearby and then come out when the time is right, if that works okay with you.”

Mikleo nodded. “It does.”

“Again, you don't have to feel nervous,” Sorey said, pressing a kiss to the side of Mikleo's head before they continued their walking. “Just take deep breaths.”

“I'm okay, you know.”

“I know that. I just don't like the thought of you being nervous.” Sorey suddenly grinned, leaning slightly closer. “Unless it's because you're flustered over me, of course.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes. “Of course.” Yet there was an amused smile on his face, and somehow, the words had made him feel a little less anxious.

Before long, they were arriving at the park, able to spot the light brown braid once they were at a close distance. Mikleo nodded at Sorey to carry on walking whilst he stood behind a tree near where Muse was sitting, ears able to pick up their conversation.

“Oh, good morning,” Muse smiled, getting up off the bench for a moment out of manners to shake his hand, before both settled back down.

“How are you?”

“I'm doing well, thank you! I was looking forward to seeing you, it's been a while.”

How genuine Muse's words were brought a smile to his face. If Muse cared for Sorey enough to treat him like this even before she knew he was in a relationship with her son, Mikleo couldn't help but think of how much more lovely she would be once she _did_ know of it.

“It definitely has! So …” Sorey hesitated for a moment. “I think you might be wondering why I wanted to speak to you about Mikleo.”

“Yes, most certainly. But it's you, so I can't imagine it'll be something negative.”

Sorey smiled and shook his head, feeling touched by the trust. “It's not, definitely. It's just … well, it's pretty hard to explain.”

“I have all the time in the world. You don't have to rush.”

“Well …” He paused as he tried to string his words together, wondering how he could give an explanation without overwhelming her. “You believe in the afterlife, don't you? Like with angels and things?”

She nodded. “Of course I do.”

“Then, uh … do you think that there are people who could see angels? And hear them?”

“I do, yes. I feel like I've been able to sense them myself, sometimes. Why?”

“This is really hard for me to put into words, but … that day when I met you – I mean, as an adult, not when I was a kid. You had said that you could have sworn that Mikleo was there. The thing is that … well, he was. I can see angels and had met him again. He really was there besides you.”

Muse's hands rose to her mouth, her eyes widening. “You … can see him? You can see Mikleo? But then …”

“I'm sorry, I did have to twist the truth when I told you about him,” Sorey said, bowing his head for a moment in apology. “I thought the truth would be too hard to understand. The truth is that like you, I lost my memories of meeting Mikleo when I was a kid. But then one day when I was out for a jog, I came across him as an angel, unconscious in the park. I took him back to my home and found out that he had no memories. Then he ended up remembering your name, and we used that name and the knowledge that you and Mikleo had moved to Pendrago to find you. We needed to know about his death.”

“You've been doing so much for him?”

“We've done a lot for each other. More than you could possibly imagine.” He smiled silently for a moment before continuing. “He's as great of a person now as you could wish for. I know you'd be proud of him.”

“You still see him even now?”

Sorey nodded. “All the time. It's … well, he's my boyfriend, actually.”

She seemed a little startled. “B-But he's dead, and –”

“This is where it gets a bit complicated.” A silence fell for a moment; as much as Sorey didn't want to keep the poor woman waiting for more of an explanation, he wasn't sure about what to say. “We … did a lot. Well, that might be under exaggerating it a little. And … well, Mikleo was given a reward for everything he did. They said that he could live again as a human for the amount of years he has already lived, again from where he left off.”

Muse was stunned, tears beginning to form in her eyes, her body seeming to be trembling. “But that's … that's impossible …”

“I thought so as well,” Sorey said, smiling softly. “But he truly did get that chance. He's alive again, Muse. He's human.”

Muse could hardly believe the information. Torn between crying and laughing from delight, she could only sit and stare, a thousand words going through her mind. She was pulled out of this trance when she heard the voice she had been longing to hear for years.

“Hey, mother.”

Muse turned at the sound of it, immediately leaping off the bench and pulling her son into her arms, squeezing him tightly as she rested her hand on his hair, stroking through the strands.

“I-It's … It's a miracle …” she whispered, tears falling down her face. “You're really alive.”

Mikleo nodded, inhaling the scent of vanilla as he rested his head against her shoulder, returning the embrace. “I really am. I've missed you.”

“I've missed you too, more than you could ever imagine.” Muse pulled away, her face wet with tears as she let out a soft laugh, wiping at her eyes before cupping Mikleo's cheeks. “You look just like you did at eighteen; it's like not even a year has passed … though your hair is definitely longer.”

“It's the same for you.”

“Always one for flattery with me,” Muse said, soon pulling Mikleo back into her arms, missing the contact after craving it for so long. “Whatever did you do to be given this chance?”

“We saved the world,” was the simple reply. Muse laughed again from this simpleness.

“I'm not sure exactly how you did that, but you saving the world made mine return to me.”

They could only stand in each other's arms for a period of time, not once wanting to break apart, until Muse was pulling Sorey closer to them, too. They weren't sure how long they spent basking in the joy of the miracle given to them, but time didn't seem to matter in that moment.

 

* * *

 

 

The months then began to pass with the happiness they had obtained for themselves.

Zaveid and Alisha had been taken aback, staring at Mikleo in utter disbelief before the two were hugging him, overjoyed by the news. Of course, Zaveid also had to tease Mikleo about how he might now have the chance to grow a little bit more and no longer remain tiny. Moments later, he was holding a kicked shin and was apologising with tears prickling in the corner of his eyes, whilst Sorey and Alisha burst out laughing.

With the calming of malevolence came opportunity and hope in their lives. Both Sorey and Alisha had received a promotion, which had been accepted; Sorey wanted him and Mikleo to have more money to travel when time would allow, whilst Alisha thought moving up in the world would help her to move on from Rose.

As the months passed, she grew stronger, yet still had days where it was tough for her to deal with the loss. On the days that she struggled in work, she received immense support from all of the force, most especially Sorey and Sergei. She was managing, and that was the most important thing.

There was also the loss of her mother. She didn't hold a grudge against Zaveid at all, for she knew it had to have been done. Yet there was still love mingled with her hatred for Maltran; after all, it was hard to erase it completely. The rest admired how strong she was for not breaking over witnessing Maltran's death. She was now reported as missing in normal life, no one except the group knowing what happened to her.

As for Mikleo, he had managed to rejoin college a little late. Whilst he went to a different one, he was able to leave from where he left off and join the second year of the same course held there. He had considered not doing so and simply finding work in the field, but had said to Sorey that he had always looked forward to achieving the qualification. He wasn't sure about joining university afterwards due to his years being limited, but finishing college was the one thing he knew he must do.

Of course, he saved room for travelling with Sorey when both were available. He had been made Sorey's Squire just in case they needed to purify any excess malevolence somewhere, but so far, it hadn't been needed.

Both of their birthdays also passed; Sorey's in December, Mikleo's in March. It was strange for them to both think that if Mikleo had stayed alive, they would both be turning the same age, though they were becoming accustomed to the situation. They pictured it as Mikleo's years as an angel simply being a different path he had temporarily walked on, before then walking on another.

Muse had been the one to tell Mikleo of what day his birthday was. She herself was utterly delighted over Mikleo's choice to return to college; after all, she had always supported his passions. She was the one who had first introduced him to baking, and now watched as his talent flourished. She often travelled with the pair too on their weekend trips; sometimes they had relaxing visits to villages and towns, other times they went exploring through forests and ruins. It didn't matter that only just under a year had passed since Mikleo had been given this new life. They wanted to make the most of everything.

They thought that sometimes they saw Michael in the distance at times, his black wings rustling gently in the breeze which passed, yet they were never approached. Perhaps Michael believed he had never truly atoned for his sins. Yet seeing him gave Mikleo a strange sense of gratitude. It was like Michael wanted to see that the two had obtained happiness for themselves, making sure that the ones he had helped make a path for were both living well.

It was now the summer once again, the heat of a July evening welcoming. As they had done so many times over the year, they were visiting Ladylake. Whilst they remained in Lastonbell due to Sorey and Alisha wanting to remain in their positions there, he and Mikleo often wanted to revisit the place which started it all. Lastonbell was a wonderful place to live, but Ladylake was still their old home. They would never forget their days together here, from their first time speaking to each other and the first time they kissed, to their training and conflicts. Whilst the main events of their recent story had taken place in Lastonbell, the pages which were written here in Ladylake felt just as important.

“You know, I often think about how you reacted when you found me here,” Mikleo said as the two walked hand-in-hand through the park.

“Well, I definitely wasn't expecting to find a trail of feathers leading to someone in a strange outfit, that's for sure.”

Mikleo laughed. “Yeah … I wouldn't dream of wearing that as a human. I'd get so many weird looks.”

“Well, you get looks now, but they're mostly to admire how beautiful you are.”

He rolled his eyes, smiling as he pushed strands of long brown hair behind his ear. “You never stop being cheesy.”

“Nope!” His grin softened. “Seriously though, I'll never forget it. I got really panicky seeing you there, yet I was taken aback by your appearance, too. It all just seemed … supernatural.”

“Well, it was.”

“I meant that mostly from your appearance. I mean, you were pretty much _glowing.”_

“I think that was your imagination.”

Sorey chuckled. “Maybe.”

“Imagine if you had just walked away and I woke up. I would have freaked out like crazy”

“Hey, that _is_ a thought … a bad one, at that.”

“Don't sound _guilty,_ idiot. It's not like you did that.”

“Nope, I picked you up instead, which you've always seemed so fond of me doing.”

“Not really.”

“Yes really.”

“Whatever.” He paused for a moment. “I just thought of what Rose would say to that. I wonder if she's watching us right now?”

“Honestly, I don't think she's an angel.”

Mikleo blinked. “How come? She was pure, after all.”

“She just wouldn't be the type to allow herself to simply watch over us, you know? I'm sure she'd pop down to say hi even if they didn't want her to. Nah, I think she wanted another chance at life. I think she would've chosen to be reincarnated instead.”

“Maybe,” Mikleo said thoughtfully. “I wonder if Dezel has been reincarnated yet, too.”

“I hope so. Maybe they'll even meet, who knows?”

“I'm sure they will, somehow. Just like how we'll meet them again.”

“Someone's getting all sentimental.”

“Ugh, you're _so_ annoying.”

Sorey laughed, this laughter fading as his walking slowed to a stop, Mikleo looking at him curiously. “Even if we lost them, I'm glad how things turned out,” he said quietly. “I honestly thought it'd be so much worse than it was, that maybe none of us would get out alive. But … but your screams still haunt me from that day.”

Mikleo squeezed his hand gently. “As do yours. But we're happy now. We've been given our chance.”

Sorey's smile returned as he nodded. “That's right. And we're going to make the most of it.” He ran his thumb over Mikleo's hand for a moment before he spoke again. “I really do love you, Mikleo. I know it might not mean much considering we're soul-mates and all, so naturally I'm going to love you. But … I don't think that bond is everything. I think I'd love you more than anything even if we weren't destined to be and all that.”

“I can't imagine us _not_ being destined, though.”

Sorey's smile grew. “Yeah, same here. And … well, it's a given that we're always going to be together.”

“Even though you're going to annoy me.”

He laughed. “Maybe. But even though it's a given, I … Mikleo, I kind of feel like there was something special there from the moment I laid eyes on you. Not because you were an angel, or that the situation was mysterious. Just … well, because it's you. So I've been wanting to show that's how important you are to me.”

Mikleo felt curiosity rise, so caught up in Sorey's words that he didn't have much chance to properly analyse them. Yet he didn't have to, for the next action spoke louder than those words. Mikleo could only stare with wide eyes, feeling his legs trembling slightly beneath him, as Sorey dropped down onto one knee, hands reaching for his pocket to pull out a box Mikleo hadn't even noticed. The glistening of the amethyst which adorned the centre of a silver band was revealed as the box opened, and as soon as its beauty met the world, it seemed to stop time entirely.

“Will you marry me, Mikleo?”

He didn't even need to ask. As he had said, it wasn't just the fact that fate had connected them. All of their hardships, their struggles and their joys are what had strengthened their bond, allow them to reach as far as they had. No strings of fate could bring this much joy, though neither had they been cut; they had fought past what had threatened to separate them. Now there was nothing else which could do so, not even death.

“Of course,” Mikleo whispered, unable to stop the escaping of a tear. “You know I will, Sorey.”

“Well yeah, but I just wanted to make sure,” he said in a playful tone, Mikleo laughing and wiping at his eyes as the ring was slid onto his left hand, Sorey placing a kiss down onto it before he got up again, wrapping his arms around Mikleo to bring him closer.

“How long have you been waiting to do that?” Mikleo asked as he rested the side of his head against Sorey's chest, smiling when he felt that his heart was beating at a fast pace.

“A while. I just wanted to wait until you had been nineteen for a bit. I mean … I know it's weird considering you're _technically_ twenty-four, but I wanted to be sure that you weren't too young. It's complicated, really."

“I understand that.” Mikleo pulled back for a moment to rise up and place a kiss on Sorey's cheek. “Really though, the answer would have always been yes regardless.”

Sorey smiled, stroking a hand through Mikleo's hair. “Perhaps. But you saying yes has still made me happy.”

They simply stood together in each other's arms for a while, appreciating the beauty of a night sky and the serenity of the park around them. It was now possible to truly appreciate the beauty of life, now that they were free to do so.

It would only be seventeen years, now. But it was more than either would have expected to have been given.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I forgiven for everything now? Do you like me again?
> 
> Epilogue next week ... I actually still need to finish it; I'm taking more time with it to make sure I write it how I want to. Are you ready for it to end? I'm not. I'm DEFINITELY not.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> (Also, a note for those who don't understand the UK educational system - when comparing to America, we go to college after high school and then university after. Just wanted to clear up any confusion when college and university were mentioned in this!)


	26. Epilogue - Unbreakable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even after their time together comes to an end, their love will never be broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ... here we are. It feels like it's been ages since I started this fic, even though I've actually finished this a lot quicker than past fanfictions. Despite the anxieties I have had over it, I've truly come to treasure this story, and for it to come to an end is just ... well, I'm happy about it, but also a little sad.
> 
> This is very, VERY long, about 15,000 words. There's many line breaks for you to have a break from it if need be, however! Enjoy!

Time was a precious thing which could now not be taken for granted. Each passing day, hour, even minute – they all had to count. Yet in each other's company, it never really mattered _how_ they would make this time count. From venturing out and seeing the world together to simply curling up on the sofa to watch a movie, it was all still making the most out of what they had. It was spending time together. It was a miracle that they could even do that much.

Following his college course, Mikleo settled on the idea of not going to university. He instead decided to head out into the world of work, getting a job in a popular bakery in Lastonbell. Sorey wouldn't have minded continuing to support them if Mikleo had wanted to continue education, yet he said that after the time Sorey spent supporting them both through when Mikleo was an angel and his months of studying, he wanted to earn money, too. Plus, it was a job which suited him perfectly. It was not long before he had received a promotion and pay rise there.

Both decided to wait a small while to proceed with their marriage. Even though Mikleo felt more than old enough due to his years as an angel, both wanted to wait until another birthday had passed for him before they proceeded. Alisha, who seemed to have been influenced by both her marriage with Rose and also by now often being accompanied by Zaveid, teased Sorey about now having a preference for younger men. Mikleo burst out laughing as Sorey had babbled, saying that Mikleo wasn't _technically_ much younger if you counted his life as an angel and what even were age gaps, anyway?

She had barely been able to hold back tears when told of this engagement, overjoyed that after all their hardships, they had truly found happiness. Lailah had been one who could not hold back the tears, though it was not as though she even tried to. She had watched over them both their whole lives, teaching them everything that she possibly could. Seeing them get to this stage after seeing everything – the abuse, deaths, torture after torture – was incredible. It was no wonder that she would become so overcome with emotion.

Zaveid and Edna also became very emotional; the latter teased Zaveid when his eyes grew watery and he could barely gasp out a congratulations, yet there had been tears brimming for Edna too, though she had been quick to wipe at them. Zaveid had begged them to be best man, huffing when he was told that they couldn't exactly have someone invisible play a role like that in the wedding. Though this wedding was hardly going to be huge; it would mostly be close work friends and, of course, Mikleo's mother.

She had said that she knew it was going to happen sooner or later, yet she still could hardly believe it when they told her. She said about how she had always dreamed about Mikleo becoming married, and now he was alive again, she could see that come true. Sorey and Mikleo were amused to hear her admit that her and Selene had often chatted about what if their sons grew up so close that they ended up falling in love. A pang of sadness had momentarily hit Sorey's chest over the mention of his mother, yet it was soon to fade. He knew that wherever she was right now, she was likely happy. A woman who had always been so cheerful whilst she was alive could only be that in her next life – he was sure of that. Both she and the father who was real in his heart were likely living in happiness, perhaps even together.

It was a year after the proposal when donned in a white suit, black shirt and pale blue tie, Mikleo sat as Lailah pulled out a hair tie tying up thick hair, the strands falling down his back in natural curls. She smiled as she pulled a brush through it, Muse wandering over to have a closer watch, wearing a beautiful knee-length dress, the flowing material matching her eyes. With danger now less existent in the world, she had managed to build up an even higher resonance without putting herself at risk, able to see angels without ever having to make the Squire pact, which they had thought might have had to be the case.

“I was thinking we should pull back your hair to have the circlet on display, and then have the front strands braded and tied at the back,” Lailah said as she removed the last of the tangles. “What do you think?”

“That sounds good to me,” he smiled at her, closing his eyes at the feel of the brush going through his hair.

“Muse, can you help?”

“Of course,” she said, hardly able to contain herself as her slender fingers began to plait strands of hair together, Lailah on the other side. “I am _so_ glad you grew your hair out, Mikleo. What made you decide?”

“Well, uh … it was kind of Sorey.”

“You decided that the best way to swoon him would be to grow your hair?”

Mikleo laughed. “No, actually. It was because we were talking about whether or not the Lady of the Lake exists, and he said that _I_ might be the Lady of the Lake as a joke. Somehow that led to him thinking I would suit long hair.”

“You are free to take over my position any time,” said Lailah. “Gosh, it's hard to go back so frequently to see how Uno is doing! But then I don't want to leave here, I love being with you all …”

“I'm sure Uno is fine without you checking on him so often. He's done a great job taking over your role and has increased in power very quickly.”

“That is definitely true, but Ladylake is still my home. It's worth the travel.”

Muse looked at her for a moment with a smile. “Ladylake is wonderful, I really enjoyed living – oh! I just realised!”

“You almost made me let go of this hair!” Lailah whined, though she was soon looking back at Muse curiously. “What is it?”

“I thought we might end up deciding on something like this, so hold on …”

The two women finished braiding the strands of hair, clipped to the back of his head with a hairpin. Muse then went into a white beaded handbag, rummaging through it and taking out an object which Mikleo peered into the mirror to try and see. It turned out to be a golden flower hair clip, small yet intricate, matching the colour of his circlet.

“I think you want me to be as much of a princess as possible,” he joked. “It's too bad I didn't get a ball gown.”

“You can be a combination of a prince and princess, then,” Muse laughed softly, clipping it into place before holding up a hand mirror. “What do you think?”

“I love it, thank you.” An amused smile grew on his face. “I'd be properly matching if I still had white and blue hair, wouldn't I?”

“This colour suits you just as much,” Lailah said, running her fingers through the curls as she let some rest against his shoulders. “Oh, Sorey is going to _melt.”_

“Yeah …” Mikleo said, his mind wandering a little at the mention of Sorey's name. It was incredible how they had both reached this far. Before long, it was as though his mind was taking him on a mental journey throughout all of their love together.

His hand on Muse's arm as she began to guide him to the main room of Ladylake's church, he thought about how they met, and the feelings that had been building up inside him. He remembered how distressed and fearful they made him, how he wanted nothing more than to to be held and kissed by Sorey, yet they were too frightened about what that would mean to them.

He was arriving closer to where he knew Sorey was waiting. Now he remembered their first kiss, tender yet passionate all at once, how they embraced their love, and the first time they had experienced intimacy. Then there was the beautiful night they had made love for the first time, the knowledge of what was to come erased from their minds as they only focused on each other.

The sound of a beautiful quartet greeted him as doors opened in front of him. Inside was just a select number of people who he had grown to share friendship with during his time as a human, perhaps no more than twenty. His eyes were cast past them, however; Sorey standing by the alter, Sergei by his side, looking straight back at Mikleo.

Everything they had gone through was for this moment.

His hand remained on his mother's arm as they walked forward, a hand placed over his own and squeezing it gently. This squeeze might have been because of how his own hand was trembling slightly. Whether it was from excitement or nerves, he could not have known. All he knew was that in this moment, his whole world was staring straight back at him with eyes glistening from the threatening fall of tears.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered as Mikleo came closer, smiling. “So, so beautiful.”

Mikleo smiled back. “You don't look too bad yourself.”

“Too bad?” Sorey said, laughing softly. Mikleo only gave a small smirk in response, for he knew what Sorey was likely able to see in his eyes. They were bound to be blinded by love, pupils dilated, all of his emotions written on his face. This expression spoke more than words could. However, words did arrive through the form of their vows following the vicar's words, and their meaning touched the hearts of those who were there.

“I think you know by now just how much you mean to me, Mikleo,” Sorey was soon speaking softly, loud enough for people to hear, yet still with the gentleness he always saved for Mikleo alone. “Everything about you is perfection in my eyes. The way you're so selfless, how much you care, the lengths you'd go through in order to protect someone else … there is nothing about you which I don't love. You saved me, too. Please never forget that. I want you to know just how incredible you are for as long as you live.

“I've been able to see that ever since we met. Watching you grow only seemed to make my feelings stronger. Now we're together like this, I want to make it my vow that I'll always protect you and keep you safe. You're the love of my life and I will never let you go. Not even with death.”

To most in the room, these final words didn't hold a special meaning, seeming as though they were simply in relation to ordinary vows. Yet to Muse, Alisha and the angels who were standing by, it held a much deeper meaning. Sixteen years from now would be when Mikleo would die. Sorey's vow was to show how this inevitable death meant nothing.

And of course, Mikleo knew this, too. He was left speechless for a moment over these words, finding it hard to say his own. Yet eventually, his voice came to him, even if there was a slight shake at first from holding back tears.

“I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to fully express just how much you've done for me. I have no idea where I would be without you. You've been by my side every step of the way and I have only ever been able to stay strong because of you. Sorey, I don't know if you realise just how beautiful you are. Your support, your strength, just everything about you makes you perfect.

“I can't accept that our love is real, sometimes, for how can I deserve someone like you? But it _is_ real, and every time I think of that, it seems as though every trouble washes away instantly. And I promise that I will protect you too, through anything that is thrown at us. I will always stand by your side and bring you back up when you fall. No matter what happens, I will never leave your side. I'll never stop loving you.”

Even if the vows between them had been certified even before being spoken, now it felt as though they were even more true. That their struggles had been worth it all, that their love would transcend above everything thrown at them. The golden rings slipped onto each other's fingers only expressed this more, their shine giving them both a sense of hope.

Their kiss sealed their vows and promises, the simple brush of their lips burning brighter than the sun, reminding them that for eternity, they would belong to each other, and nothing would ever stop that.

 

* * *

 

 

Would Sorey ever become used to waking up next to the man he could call his husband, brushing back his soft hair to plant a kiss on his lips? Would Mikleo get used to the arms which wrapped around his waist as they made breakfast in the morning, matching golden rings on their fingers? It seemed unlikely. It was all so ordinary, yet after their lives previously being nothing but extraordinary, the normal, everyday moments they now shared seemed as though they weren't normal at all.

Of course, the visits from the angels and the fact that Sorey did still have his powers erased their lives being _completely_ normal, but they would not change any of it. They lived in both their own world and that which the angels lived, visiting Heaven from time to time with Lailah in order to talk about the lives they were given. By now, this wasn't to Zenrus. They had been given the news that he his soul had finally been reborn. Sorey and Mikleo both attended this funeral, thanking Zenrus for the chance that they had been so generously given.

Two years into their marriage, Mikleo was given further opportunity that he had not expected so soon. This was the chance for him to open his own bakery as opposed to work at one. It was a dream come true for one who been working incredibly hard, using his husband as a very willing test subject for the variety of desserts he created. This hard work paid off, and now he was living a dream which he had accepted would never come true as soon as he had been on a death bed.

He did not just simply run this bakery, either; it was Sorey's suggestion that Mikleo should start teaching others of all ages, due to Mikleo being calm and patient, as well as very welcoming and intelligent. He took on this suggestion, leaving the classes free for younger children, and enjoyed every minute of it. Being able to pass on what he had learned was a wonderful feeling. It meant that him and Sorey were fairly busy, what with keeping up with both of their jobs and also their travels together, but they were happy.

Yet at age 24, Mikleo realised something. It was a thought which was a little hard for him to express, yet he knew he had to do so, for it had been building up and making him feel as though he might burst.

“I know it might seem selfish with how soon we know I'll pass away,” he had said quietly one night, curled up with Sorey hugging him from behind. His body curled up a little tighter as he then said, in an even softer voice slightly shaken by nerves, “But I was thinking that … that if we can reduce enough working hours and have others help us, I'd love to adopt. And if we don't do so soon, I … well, I might not see them reach their teenage years.”

Sorey's heart had grown warm, yet also painful, over these words. But he was mostly filled with an excitement he had never felt, one which managed to surpass how excited he had been when Alisha fell pregnant all those years ago. And so, he agreed. He agreed with the feeling that he might have ended up crying.

“Don't worry about your lifespan,” he had responded, turning Mikleo around gently so their eyes met. “We'll tell them our story. After all, children are more likely to grow resonances.”

Mikleo's eyes grew wide. “So you want to?”

Sorey smiled, pressing a kiss on Mikleo's forehead. “More than anything.”

And so, that was their plan. Only it turned out much more wonderful than they could have ever had imagined. This was in the form of the young girl of age five who they instantly fell in love with. She had a bright smile, a cheerful personality and smooth red hair reaching down to her shoulders, her eyes as blue as the sky. Her name was Hope, and the two might have found it difficult to not call her by the name she once had, but this name seemed fitting after all she had went through in her past life, only to be smiling now, even after her biological parents had died in an accident.

Alisha had burst into tears upon seeing this young girl, overcome with joy that Rose really was reincarnated, that she would in fact live again so soon. She did not care in the slightest that this meant they would never be together again, or at the very least, for a long time to come. All she cared about was how she was living once again, loved by two parents who would give her the world that she deserved.

She wasn't told about Mikleo's short life at first, merely just that he had once been an angel, before introducing her to Lailah, who instantly had a motherly attitude over Hope. The two got on instantly and spent a lot of time together whilst her parents were working, leaving Sorey and Mikleo to realise that Hope would not fear meeting Zaveid and Edna, too. This was a beautiful contrast to how at this age in her previous life, she had come to fear their kind. There was no fear in those eyes anymore. She only loved.

They cherished every moment they spent with her, taking her to their favourite locations and supporting her love for sports. She was very athletic for a child her age – in fact, she was incredible in almost every way. Two years with her went by in almost a blur.

Now, there were ten years left. It broke Mikleo's heart to know that after these ten years, his little girl would be turning seventeen, and he would not see her live past that. Yet he had at least managed to be here for when at age eight, Hope managed to make a friend which seemed a little more special than the rest, even though she was friends with everyone. Without hair covering eyes, which shone a deep turquoise, it was almost a little hard to recognise him. Yet the six-year-old boy in front of them was, in no doubt, the Guardian Angel of who Hope once was. A year later, they were incredibly close, as though that bond had never broken, even after their deaths.

Yet another year passing was not shone in a completely positive light. It was the halfway point of Mikleo's life; 27-years-old and by no means someone who should be thinking of death. Yet there he was on the night of his birthday, sobbing against Sorey's chest as they sat together in the lounge, Hope believed to be sleeping soundly in her bedroom.

“Nine years have already passed,” he whispered, body trembling in Sorey's hold. “How did that happen? Why did it have to pass by so quickly?”

Sorey didn't have a verbal answer for this, simply pulling his husband closer as he ran his fingers through his hair, forcing back his own tears. They had always lived in a positive way in regards to Mikleo's inevitable death, but on this day, it was difficult. With how quickly the first nine years had passed, each week and even day blessed with joy, it was hard to believe that the same would not happen to the other nine years. What if they flew by just as quickly, seeming like a much shorter period, when all they wanted was to never be apart?

“We're going to carry on making the most of it,” Sorey ended up saying quietly, brushing his lips lightly on top of Mikleo's head. “Not once are we going to take anything for granted.”

“We're not. It's just … it's just really hard. I'm never even going to be able to see Hope finish college.”

Sorey's heart sank over this. It was hard to accept that truth even though there was no way to avoid it. “At least you'll still be here for when she gets older.”

Mikleo stayed silent, not having the strength to say he agreed as he stayed resting against Sorey, his head now turning to the side in order to lay more comfortably. His eyes widened when he saw a small figure standing in the doorway, and he immediately sat up, wiping at his eyes.

“Hope, you should be in bed,” he said, trying to force all trembling out of his voice as he shuffled back away from Sorey, smiling at Hope.

“Were you crying?” she asked. Mikleo opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, unsure of how to respond. Sorey did so for him instead.

“It's okay, Hope,” he smiled, but she was too smart to be reassured.

“But why? Why were you crying?”

Sorey and Mikleo exchanged a glance, wondering if this was the moment that they had known would end up happening, yet had hoped it would have been later than this. They agreed without words, Sorey gesturing for Hope to come over.

“We've got something to tell you,” he said, watching as she walked over and climbed onto his lap, Mikleo soon taking her hand.

“What is it?”

“You know how your dad was once an angel?” Sorey asked her, receiving a nod in return. “Well … the thing is, that …”

“There's a bit more to it than me just becoming a human,” Mikleo continued, Hope's gaze turning to him, blue eyes blinking.

“I don't understand.”

He bit his lip, trying to think of the best way to say this. “I … well, I won't be living as long as … as your other father.”

She blinked again. “But how come?”

“I … well, I was given life again. But that life is pretty short After that, I … I'll be an angel again.”

“When will that happen?”

“Nine years from now,” Mikleo said quietly. Hope's eyes widened, and she began counting the years on her fingers, which seemed to be trembling slightly.

“So when I'm … seventeen?”

Mikleo nodded, swallowing when he could feel a pain in his throat, arisen from how he was close to tears again. His head, which had been lowered a little so Hope did not see that his eyes were glistening, lifted back up when the palm of her hand pressed against his cheek.

“I don't want you to die that early,” she said quietly, before stretching her lips into a smile. “But … I would have never met you at all if you didn't become human, right?”

“Yeah, that's right.”

“Then … it's better like this, isn't it?”

Sorey smiled, a hand ruffling her hair, which made her giggle. “It definitely is.”

“We will be able to see you again once you're an angel?”

Mikleo paused. “I … I don't know. I might not be allowed.”

Hope looked crestfallen, lips quivering for a moment, yet it was clear that she was trying to remain strong so she did not have to see Mikleo cry again. “Then we'll have to have lots of fun together until then.”

Mikleo nodded, putting his hands under her armpits to lift her off Sorey's lap and onto his own so he could hug her. It was then that the young girl's strong facade stopped; he could feel her body shake with sobs which were muffled by his shoulder, Sorey soon bringing both of them into his arms as they stayed silent, all soon feeling a little better from the warmth which they shared.

All they could do was look forward to an even better second half, without focusing so much on what would come after.

 

* * *

 

 

At age twenty-eight, they began to realise that perhaps Mikleo would end up growing weaker over the last of his years. They had not been able to ask Zenrus if this was the case before he passed away, so all they could do was be wary of this possibility. It meant that they were taking advantage of their outings more than previously.

For Hope's ninth birthday on July 23rd, they decided to visit a zoo together, something which they had not yet done with her due to their other explorations. She had grown a lot more mature over the last year, her parents believing that this was due to her being told the truth. Even though she was a child, she seemed to also understand that they had to make the most of every moment. Yet she still had the innocence and curiosity of a child, so they were utterly relieved that her knew understanding did not erase this and still allowed her to act young.

Muse and Lailah had come too on her request, saying that it would be nice if Mikleo was surrounded by more people. She had invited Alisha, Edna and Zaveid too, but Alisha was away for work with Sergei, and both angels were currently venturing out together; in the past, they had only done so with the goal to find and kill Eizen, meaning that they had never explored for enjoyment. With the ordeals with Heldalf long over, it gave them the opportunity to truly enjoy their lives, their family-like bond growing even deeper over time.

And of course, holding onto Hope's hand was her best friend Angelus, whose hair was beginning to grow a little over his eyes by now, which he said he liked to do because he saw it as stylish, though Sorey and Mikleo expected that it was because he was surprisingly a little shy around Hope. This was a contrast to how she was completely confident around him.

“Where would you like to go first?” Sorey asked, smiling down at Hope, who was peering at a map.

“Um … to the reptiles and things!”

“Oh, just because it's you,” Lailah said, shuddering a little. It was strange to look at her; due to the busyness of the zoo, she had her wings tied down upon Mikleo's suggestion, wearing a regular knee-length skirt and short-sleeved blouse. They almost had to remind themselves on numerous occasions that only they could see her. Hope grinned at her, wanting to drag her along by her hand, but she understood that she could not do so. Angelus, with a high resonance himself, looked at Lailah for a moment before Hope was pulling him along.

Before long, they had arrived at the section where reptiles were kept inside large tanks. Muse and Mikleo seemed a little wary, yet Hope was skipping up to them, red hair bouncing on her shoulders as she turned and grinned. Meanwhile, Angelus was peering inside curiously.

“Dad! Dad! Come see!”

“Which dad?” Sorey questioned, laughing.

“Both!”

Sorey grabbed Mikleo's arm to drag him forward towards the tank, who froze in place at a gigantic snake which laid inside. Mikleo shrieked as it moved, Sorey bursting into laughter once again as Mikleo's grip tightened on his arms and hid behind Sorey, as though having a figure in front of him would protect him over the impossible chance of the snake escaping.

“It's cute, dad!” Hope exclaimed.

Mikleo shuddered. “It could eat us.”

“We're in a zoo, I don't think you should be saying that around children,” Muse said from behind.

“If you were looking at this thing too, you'd know what I mean!”

Lailah pushed Muse forward, and in a similar fashion to Mikleo, she shrieked.

“Oh my goodness, it _could_ eat us!”

“Don't worry, grandma!” Hope said, grinning up at Muse. “I would protect you.”

Muse smiled, Hope giggling as she ruffled her hair. “I bet you would.”

“Oh, this one is just like you, Mikleo!” Lailah said as she walked over to a smaller tank. “It doesn't tend to grow past five feet.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes. “I'm taller than that, thank you.”

The group were soon heading around the rest of the zoo, seeing all it had to offer. The sea lions seemed to be Hope's particular favourite, giggling as she watched them swim through the water, twisting their bodies around as they spun. Yet more height jokes followed when visiting the giraffes, who Mikleo refused to step closer to when one very nearly licked him, and Lailah had a very strange love for any animal which could curl up into a ball, due to how round they could become.

Early in the afternoon, they sat down for lunch, and it was during this silence that Mikleo's thoughts wandered a little, thinking about how there would only ever be limited moments of this. However, the thought was soon to vanish; they had to live in the moment now more than ever, making the most of the years they had been given.

And as he and Sorey watched Hope and Angelus stare in awe at the animals, Lailah and Muse laughing delightfully to each other, they only felt happier. Each cry of excitement, each beaming smile, how Hope had hugged the plush sea lion given to her – every small moment combined to make cherished memories.

“Are you okay?” Sorey asked him quietly as they exited the zoo, the others distracted by Hope still showing off her plush toy.

“I'm not sure,” Mikleo replied, feeling as though saying either 'yes' or 'no' was a lie. “I'm happy. Yet at the same time, I can't help but forever have a feeling of dread.”

“Hey,” said Sorey softly, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “We still have years left, so don't keep thinking of that. Plus, it's our anniversary in a few weeks. How about we just look forward to that?”

Mikleo smiled and nodded, doing just that. Each anniversary of theirs had been special; romantic dinners, visits to aquariums and then simple things, such as walks on the beach and picnics under a sunset. They were wonderfully beautiful, and they were covered in both positive and negative emotion. The days were a sign of their love lasting forever, yet were also an hourglass, its sand representing the washing away of Mikleo's life.

Yet he continued to smile, because if he didn't, it would mean that Zenrus' sacrifice would have been meaningless. The anniversary was more beautiful than ever, this realisation finally coming to him. It was a life which he had to love. He needed to stop dwelling on how time was passing.

Another two years brought his thirtieth birthday. Reaching this age made thirty-six seem that much more closer. But he did not cry like he did on his twenty-seventh birthday.

“ _Six more years, right? Let's make them count.”_

He spent the daytime with everyone; Sorey, his daughter, his mother, Alisha and the angels. Then at night, he spent it with Sorey and only Sorey, whilst Hope stayed at Angelus' house. The night was so beautifully simple. Eating together, watching movies before finally, making love as the peaceful night settled in.

This year brought far too much to bask in sadness, too. They had been married for ten years now, and of course, this meant that Mikleo's birthday wasn't the only lovely event of that year.

“I still think about how beautiful you looked on that day, you know,” Sorey said, smiling as he took Mikleo's hand over a restaurant table, eyes looking down at the engagement and wedding ring before they met Mikleo's eyes. “Honestly, I think about it a lot.”

“When I was still young and beautiful, then?”

“You're _thirty,_ I think you're not at the age when you can't really call yourself that.”

“True, true.”

Sorey laughed softly, shaking his head. “Honestly. I was trying to be romantic, too.”

“You never have to _try,”_ Mikleo said, smiling tenderly. “It's just part of your personality.”

“Oh, snap! I've still got it, then?”

Mikleo chuckled, nodding. “Of course you have, idiot.” His face grew softer, eyes fixing on the hand which was still held. “Thank you for being there for me over these years,” he said quietly. “Through me being given this life, our marriage, adopting Hope … to this day, I'm still grateful that you were more than happy to do that with me.”

“Of course I was. I love you more than anything; is it really any surprise that I would want a child with you, too?”

“It's not. I thought it just might have been too difficult to raise a child whilst we knew what was going to happen someday. But … but you've always stayed smiling. For me, for her, even yourself. You've just never stopped being positive.”

“That's just who I am.”

“And who you are is exactly why I love you this much.”

Mikleo leaned across the table to brush their lips against each other, eyes fluttering closed as he did so. All of his hopes and dreams were embraced in this kiss, the taste of Sorey's lips reminding him of why exactly he had pulled through everything. And a month later, there was yet again a new chapter in their lives; Hope, now eleven years old, starting high school.

“Can't you put the sirens on when you drop me off?” she asked as they drove there, whining as both Sorey and Mikleo declined. “Why not?”

“Because I might just get in trouble with my boss,” said Sorey, sounding amused.

“And why would you want him to do that, anyway?” Mikleo asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned to her. “Do you _want_ people to think you're a criminal?”

“Nah, I just thought they'd find me cool.”

Mikleo sighed, shaking his head, but he was smiling. “You never change.”

“And we don't want you to, either,” Sorey added.

They pulled up by the school before long, Sorey and Mikleo a little startled as Hope leaned forward and kissed them both on the cheek.

“Not embarrassed about people seeing you?” Mikleo asked jokingly, his voice teasing.

“Nope! Why would I be embarrassed about two awesome dads? See you later!”

“Have a good day!” Sorey exclaimed.

“Don't cause too much trouble,” Mikleo added, sighing as Hope stuck her tongue at him as she exited the car, pulling on a backpack before she walked through the gates to Lastonbell High School. Mikleo's expression softened, looking out of the window even after she had gone. “She'll be all right, won't she?”

“Of course she will be. You've seen how confident she is.”

Mikleo hummed in agreement, before his head suddenly shot around to Sorey. “I forgot the cookies!”

“The what?”

“The cookies. I was going to make some extra ones in work yesterday so she could share them with the class.”

Sorey smiled. “That's adorable.”

“I-It's not. I'm just trying to help her make a good impression.”

“Well, as soon as her classmates find out that she's got an increasingly popular baker and a well-ranked officer as parents, I think they're going to be admiring her.

Mikleo smiled back in amusement. “I suppose that's true.”

They remained silent as Sorey began to drive again, Mikleo simply looking out of the window as he thought about Hope. He could not imagine anything but her greeting her class with enthusiasm, realising that she would probably have a whole group of friends by the end of the day.

“She truly has grown up fast, hasn't she?” Mikleo said eventually. “She's already lived with us for six years.”

“It really has flown by. But we have so many memories with her.”

“I'll always cherish them.” His eyes looked back to Sorey when a hand was rested on his thigh.

“I will, too. Each and every one.”

Because life was too precious to not cherish each of these moments. And seeing Hope's growth, watching her develop into this beautiful and bubbly person, was only further proof of just how great life was.

She truly lived up to her name.

 

* * *

 

 

It was two years later in which the future they could not avoid truly dawned on them.

There had been a faint sign of his fate before this; growing a little breathless more easily, having a slightly weakened immune system. Yet the signs had all been subtle, and it was this point, once he was thirty-two, that truly showed what was to become of him.

Some days were much better than others. It barely seemed as though anything was wrong at times, Mikleo always pushing aside any physical ailment he had. But on other days, it was hard to leave his bed. Sorey and Hope, now much more mature alongside her boisterous personality during her young teen years, supported him and helped him in any way they could.

It was difficult. It was one of the most difficult things they had ever faced. But they had to stay strong, still being grateful for what they had and never losing their fate. They owed all who had helped him that much.

“If it wasn't for Zenrus, I wouldn't even be doing this right now,” Mikleo said one day as they were inside a grocery shop, comparing two long baguettes before putting one in the trolley. He smiled at Sorey, this smile not forced in the slightest. “I mean, it's just grocery shopping. But when you even had something so simple taken from you, it suddenly seems that bit more special.”

That was one beautiful thing about their lives. It was not just their explorations or their dinner dates which mattered. Even just this reminded them of what they had. It reminded them that they were equal.

“How are you staying so strong?” Alisha had asked one day, the two husbands and their daughter visiting her for dinner.

“You of all people are questioning something like this?” said Mikleo, smiling. “You're one of the strongest people I know.”

“Life and death is all a cycle,” she responded, smiling at Hope for a moment, who seemed to be distracted by her food. “It is knowing that which helps me to remain strong.”

“And it's the same for us. It's only going to help us move forward.”

“I still wish you didn't have to go,” Hope said quietly, the others a little startled over hearing her, for they thought she was not listening. She was now picking at her food with her fork as opposed to eating it. “It's only a few years, now.”

“Hey, listen,” said Mikleo, reaching out to hold her hand. “I will always be watching over you. I'll never truly be gone.”

“But I'll never see you again.”

He shook his head. “That's not true. I'm sure we will see each other again.”

“We'll always be connected,” Sorey continued. “And that includes after this, too.”

The words seemed to bring back Hope's usual joyful attitude, her eyes lighting up again as she smiled at them. “That's true. And we can still enjoy those few years left, right?”

Mikleo nodded. “Exactly.”

Though those few years were, with no doubt at all, bound to be difficult. This was made completely clear when at age thirty-three, Mikleo had to finally stop the classes he had managed to teach during his spare time.

“ _I'm sorry that I have had to end this. But please, continue reaching for your passions. Never think that you aren't good enough to achieve your dreams.”_

He had received applause in return, the kind gesture and supportive words he received causing him to have to wipe a tear from his eye, formed from the gratitude he felt. It had been a great time teaching others, who he knew had the talent to go far, to accomplish anything that they wished for. Determination and a strong will were the most important things, and in a life where opportunities were laid in front of them, they could do anything.

A year later, at age thirty-four, his own dream came to an end. He passed on the bakery he had loved and owned for over a decade to his most trusted assistant, his mother, who promised that she would live up to the fame and reputation he had built for himself.

This hit much harder than the cancelling of his lessons. After all, it was a dream he had thought he would never be able to accomplish. Yet he did so, and now he had to let it go far sooner than he would have liked. It was like letting go of a life he had made for himself.

“You've still got to make us stuff,” Edna had said the evening after this, wanting to use her usual personality to cheer Mikleo up. “That's a promise.”

He forced a smile. “I'll do my best.”

“You made something great of yourself, Mikster,” Zaveid said, putting his arm around his shoulders. “Just be proud of reaching that far.”

“Thank you.”

Their support, as well as that of his family, Alisha and Lailah, all helped him get through this forced moment of his life. Luckily, he still had enough strength left to make things at home, granting Edna's request and also being able to occasionally reach out to his fans online with new videos and creations. Of course, he couldn't do this as frequently as he wanted to, but it was still a blessing that he could do what he loved in the last two years of his life. It only grew more special from all the wonderful support he received in return.

_'We're proud of you, Mikleo!'_

_'This looks delicious … being able to make something like this even whilst you suffer is incredible!'_

_'I send my love to you and your family. Keep staying strong!'_

They were beautiful. They touched his heart every single day, reminding him of exactly why he fought through. He wasn't just living these granted years for himself. He was also living them for other people. To reach out to them, to inspire them – it was just as important as anything else.

His mother had turned out to, in his belief, be even stronger than he was. It was only two years until her son would be taken from her once again, and yet she was still smiling herself. She said that even if his returned life was short, it was still more than she could have ever wished for, and she was proud of Mikleo for achieving everything he had.

Even he could admit that when properly thought about, he _had_ achieved an immense amount as early as in his twenties. His career, a loving family, how much he had explored the world – with everything he had done, he would not die with any regrets.

He could not regret a life which had given him so much.

Then at age thirty-five, whilst Hope was doing college work in her bedroom, door shut with a focus to get it done so she could spend time with Angelus, Mikleo was sat with Sorey in their garden. Their eyes peered up at the stars above them, Mikleo's hands resting on his crossed legs, whilst Sorey's were on the grass behind him.

“There's been as many hopes for you as there are stars in that sky,” Sorey said into the silence, hiis voice soft so he didn't startle Mikleo through it.

“That was poetic,” said Mikleo, turning to Sorey with a smile.

“You know how I like my poetry.”

“Yeah, but yours is usually awful.”

“Hey, that was uncalled for.”

Mikleo laughed lightly, looking back at the stars. “Doesn't it make you feel insignificant? Looking up at all those stars?”

“How so?”

“It's such a vast world. Even _we_ haven't been able to see it all. It makes you feel small, doesn't it?”

“It doesn't for me, actually. It makes me just think about how much there really is going for us, you know? How you can just fly away to the other side of the world, starting everything new. I don't think I can feel small when knowing that I could have an impact on many people if I simply tried.”

“That's a nice way to look at it.” Mikleo paused for a moment. “I like to imagine that I've had that impact on others.”

“You have, definitely,” said Sorey reassuringly. “Me, Hope, Muse, your friends, your fans … there are so many people you've inspired and influenced. You've done a lot.”

“I like to imagine so. After all, I have less than a year left, now.”

As though his words made him realise it, there seemed to be a dazed look in his eye. Sorey immediately shrugged off his hooded top and wrapped it around Mikleo's shoulders. Luckily, his dying body was not particularly a painful one; it was mostly fatigue and weakness which burdened him. Still, it worried Sorey, and he was soon lifting Mikleo to bring him back into the house.

“You've always liked me carrying you,” he grinned as he took his time to place Mikleo down on the sofa, who was rolling his eyes.

“It's been years since you did so the first time. Can't you just leave that now?”

“Nope, because you're still as cute as ever. Thirty-five years old and _still_ able to get shy around me …”

“I do _not.”_

“Do too.”

“Do not.”

“What about the times where I've whispered in your ear when we're outside …?”

“… Fine, you win this round.”

Sorey laughed, pulling him into his arms. “That's what I thought.”

Mikleo shook his head, smiling. It faltered a little as he rested his head on Sorey's shoulder. “I'm going to miss this.”

“Yeah,” Sorey said quietly. “Me too. But it won't be forever, right? They're going to let you be reincarnated much earlier than the normal angel.”

Mikleo hummed, but then a worry came to his mind, one which he usually didn't focus on but couldn't help to now. He lifted his head and sat back a little so both of his hands rested on Sorey's shoulders, his eyes and voice serious.

“Sorey, you have to promise me something.”

Sorey only blinked for a moment, not expecting this sudden seriousness. “What is it?”

There was a moment of hesitation. “I don't want you to let yourself die earlier than you're supposed to so you can be with me again,” he said quietly, a slight shake to his voice. “I want you to wait for however long it takes. Hope needs you after I'm gone. Alisha needs you. And … and a lot of people would miss you. Plus, you still have your whole life ahead of you, and I don't want me to be the reason it's cut short.”

Sorey shook his head; his smile was etched in sadness, yet it was a smile nonetheless. “Don't worry,” he replied. “No matter how hard it gets, I will never do that. I know it's not what anyone would want me to do.”

Mikleo couldn't help but sigh in relief. “Thank goodness. I know that you wouldn't have likely done that, but I … I just had to make sure. Just in case.”

“I know. Thank you for doing that.”

They were soon cuddling closer together. Sorey couldn't help but notice that Mikleo's body was a little colder than it used to be, yet having him so close still gave Sorey the most calming warmth he had ever felt in his life.

 

* * *

 

 

One of the most distressing things about Mikleo's inevitable death was when it was to arrive. It seemed as though he would die on the same day he had been brought back as a human. This meant that he would just miss their sixteenth wedding anniversary and would likely be in a hospital bed for Hope's seventeenth birthday.

Because of this, every other celebration in that year was made the most out of. Sorey's, Alisha's, Muse's and Mikleo's birthdays were all celebrated with the knowledge that they would be the last celebrations for Mikleo. They wanted each to be the most fun ones they'd ever had, even if Mikleo wasn't able to move very well at all by this stage. He was often confined to a wheelchair, but he said that it was fine. After all, he still wasn't in much pain at all, which was a blessing.

There was also Christmas, which had always been a joyful and festive time of year. Lailah cooked for them, Mikleo longing to do so on the sidelines, and it was delicious. Each gift was meaningful, and it felt lovely to be able to spend so much time with family and friends. Online, he was also receiving people sending images of their baked goods, thanking him for all of his recipes and allowing the holiday to be special for them all. It made him feel better about himself, that he had truly influenced others before his body had taken a toll like this.

Due to Mikleo's death likely occurring before their anniversary, they also chose Valentine's Day as a special time of that year. In the past, they mostly saved their celebration for their anniversary. Yet now, they treated it like they would treat what had been the most special day of the year. Mikleo's eyes showed the weakness of himself, yet simultaneously, they showed strength. They still shone with the same amount of life, expressing happiness over living.

At age thirty-six, the number which they had been dreading, was when he could no longer walk.

His body had become a little painful by this stage, yet Mikleo still informed the rest that this truly was just a little, and that his body was mostly just weak. Even now, they still managed to remain strong. Hope, who had been taking lessons from Mikleo, had fun cooking for him with Sorey, who often still teased about carrying him around. She also helped out Muse at the bakery, often bringing Mikleo gifts his old staff had created for him, and the angels were as supportive as ever.

“You really did grow a little, didn't you?” Zaveid said one day, patting his head. “I'm surprised that the dainty little feather even had that in him.”

“If I could move my legs properly, I'd kick you again.”

The others laughed, Edna then saying, “I can do the honours for you, if you want.”

“Please.”

Always laughing and always joking. They knew that his death would not be the end, and perhaps without that knowledge, they would not pull through. Yet of course, one of the largest things which tugged at his heart was seeing his daughter. She had grown into a beautiful teenager, similar to Rose yet different at the same time, and it was hard to see her growth when he knew he would never see its completion.

It was only understandable that he did indeed end up in a hospital bed for her seventeenth birthday, yet she didn't mind.

“You're still alive for it, and that's the main thing,” she said, sitting by Mikleo's bed, Sorey, Muse and Angelus next to her. “I don't want a big party with friends or anything. I just want to spend time with who I love.”

She did not cry. Not once did she cry over how she had to spend her birthday knowing that her father was going to die in just weeks, lying in front of her with a face whiter than it was naturally, yet still painfully beautiful.

The tears came on the day that seemed as though it would finally be his last.

“You know,” he said weakly one day as he looked at those surrounding him, lying down with his head resting on its pillow, “I don't think I should have this many guests.”

They laughed softly, a slight shake to Lailah's voice as she said, “We're angels, it doesn't count.”

“You deserve as many people here as possible,” Muse said, leaning past Sorey to plant a kiss on Mikleo's forehead. “It's the least we can do for you.”

“The least?” he repeated, and shook his head. “It's hardly the least you can do. It's all I want.” He turned to Sorey, whose eyes were cast down as he held Mikleo's hand. “Hey. Look at me a second.”

Sorey did so immediately, forcing a smile.

“You've got to keep your p-promise, all right?”

He nodded. “Of course I will.”

Mikleo smiled. “That's reassuring.”

“Dad and I will make sure we keep on living our dreams for you,” said Hope. “I mean, we don't want you to look down on us and sigh about how we're just moping around and wasting our lives.”

He chuckled softly. “I don't want that, either.”

“You'll be able to spend time with Edna and I too, so it's not all bad, right?” Zaveid questioned.

“Do you _want_ me to feel worse about dying?”

“Hey!”

Lailah's smile of amusement faltered. “I … I don't think you _will_ be allowed to come back to Earth once you're an angel. It really may be us you will only see until Sorey's death.”

Mikleo's heart sank even though it was a truth he already knew. “I-I thought as much.”

“Why is that, though?” Alisha asked. “Why can't he come back?”

“It is not advisable that angels visit the ones who had lost them. It creates despair and hatred over death. It can result in madness.”

“It's all right, really,” Mikleo said to Alisha, forcing a smile. “I k-knew it was the case.”

He let out a cough and looked down when Sorey squeezed his hand tighter, his head lowered once again. “I … I can't believe this is it,” he whispered. “After everything, this is …”

“I-It's not the end,” Mikleo interrupted softly, causing Sorey to meet his eyes again. “It'll n-never be the end.”

Yet even as he spoke these words, there were tears beginning to fall down his face. Yes, it was the end; though a new door would indeed open for them in the future, for this life, it was most certainly the end. It had been years of utter happiness. Now they were to face years of not being by each other's side.

The others began to cry too, though most tried to hide it. Even Hope, who had not shed a single tear in countless years, was crying too, crouching by the bed with her head in her arms, which rested on Mikleo's torso. With his body trembling, Sorey held up Mikleo's hand to his mouth to kiss it, tears falling down onto the skin.

“We love you so much, Mikleo,” he said quietly. “All of us do.”

Mikleo smiled weakly through silent crying. “I-I know. I love you too.”

His eyes closed as Muse began to stroke his hair gently, strands which even now were smooth and beautiful, face still angelic despite how he had lost the wings he would be regaining before long. The others watched as Mikleo's family held him, continuing to do so as his breathing grew slower, less frequent, until he at last released his last breath.

Hope, no longer able to feel a heartbeat, noticed first. She rose up from him, blinking at his face.

“H-He's …”

Sorey's eyes opened, widening as they looked at Mikleo's face, body trembling further as he lowered Mikleo's hand. He swallowed, his flow of tears seeming as though they would never cease, and without a word he leaned down and brushed his lips against Mikleo's cold ones.

Hope was now howling, sat on her knees with her face buried in her hands. Muse was by her immediately, as was Lailah and Zaveid, the others paying attention to Sorey. They half-expected him to scream like his daughter, yet it was as though his tears were numb, his face calm as reality couldn't quite be accepted.

“Sorey,” Alisha said, trying to pull him into her arms, but he pushed her away gently. He instead got up from his seat, edged around the bed and walked over to his daughter, joining Muse in wrapping his arms around her. Hope cried louder, all of her built up distress releasing itself at once. Her grip on Sorey was painful, yet he did not say anything. He just held her close, running a hand through her hair.

“H-He's gone,” she sobbed, choking on her lack of breath. “Dead. He's really …”

“I know,” Sorey said quietly, closing his eyes, more tears escaping. “I know.”

How long he held her for, he did not know. All he knew was that comforting her was the most important thing, to calm the violent shaking of her body, which did eventually begin to relax. They stood up before long, doctors now ready to attend to Mikleo, politely telling the distraught loved ones that they could have a little more time if need be.

Once he was certain that Hope had calmed down, now breathing heavily in her grandmother's arms, Sorey crouched down by Mikleo's bed, stroking strands out of the way of a face which made Mikleo appear as though he was peacefully sleeping.

“You've been through so much,” Sorey said quietly, knowing that the others were bound to be listening, yet for a moment, felt as though he was the only one there. “So, so much. Yet you still stayed strong, and still made the most out of life. I'll be missing you until the day that we are reunited.”

He got back to his feet, turning to the angels standing by. “Lailah, Edna, Zaveid,” he said, each standing a little straighter as their names were spoken. Edna hastily wiped at her eyes with her arm, but the other two did not bother. “Please, look after him. I'm counting on you.”

Lailah was the one to smile and speak first. “I have always looked over him. I will never stop that.”

“He's my little brother, how can I say no?” said Zaveid.

“I guess, if I _must.”_

Sorey managed to smile in amusement from Edna's words. “Thank you.”

The group were soon stood by as Mikleo's body was attended to. Perhaps this moment would have been a lot more distressing if they did not know that his body was merely a vessel, that it was his soul which is what truly mattered. And what an adored soul it had been.

“He's going to be a beautiful angel,” Muse spoke softly. Sorey turned to her, taking her hand and squeezing it gently, his other hand already holding his daughter's.

“He always has been.”

 

* * *

 

 

The day soon came for Sorey to go through what Alisha had done. A funeral which was much quieter than his death, where tears were mostly silent, screams questioning why this had to happen being held back.

The coffin was pure white, etched in a gold detailing which reminded Sorey of Mikleo's circlet, which now rested under his mother's fringe. She was rising from her seat, dressed in a beautiful black dress flowing down to just below her knees, and as she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, she stood in front of the rows of people in front of her. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before she spoke.

“Mikleo was a strong and unbelievably kind-hearted man. There has never been a day in his life when he wasn't a person to be admired. From witnessing the death of his father, to the hardships with my brother, illness and despair …”

She swallowed, forcing herself to continue.

“Even though he went through so much pain, he stayed strong. He still lived, married an old friend from his childhood, adopted a beautiful, confident daughter.” Her eyes landed on Hope with a smile, who smiled back at her with tears brimming in her eyes. “He's a sign that no matter what life puts you through, you will always come out victorious. You can overcome anything, leap over any obstacle, and achieve your dreams. That is exactly what he did and I will always be proud.

“He was absolutely beautiful on his wedding day, and I will never forget the moment of clipping back his hair, or how I walked him down the aisle. And Sorey,” she averted her gaze to him, “you are someone I should thank for allowing him to make the most out of his life. It is thanks to you that he truly got to live. I will always, _always_ be grateful for that.”

She gestured for him to come forward. He did so after placing a kiss down on Hope's head and smiled at Alisha, his steps taking him to Muse, who shuffled to the side to give him room.

“I have always enjoyed my life,” said Sorey, surprised that he did not feel tears fall. “It's something I've always been grateful for and will always cherish. Yet there was always something missing, after Mikleo and I stopped being in each other's life. It was his love that I was missing. As soon as we met again, as soon as I saved him, I felt as though something new started in my life. Now, I can't picture my life without ever loving Mikleo.

“As Muse has said, he has been through so many distressing times, the extent of which unbelievable. To this day, I am proud of him for getting through everything. Not only did he push through all of that, he also touched the lives of others. Everyone sitting in this room know what that feels like, and there are thousands of people across the world who were inspired and influenced by his achievements. He even received messages saying that he saved lives, that people saw a reason to live after becoming inspired by his work.”

He smiled over this for a moment, remembering all of the lovely support Mikleo had received, before he continued.

“I think it was when he was working when I saw him often look the happiest, most satisfied. I often used to drop by his bakery while I was patrolling, and there was hardly ever a time when he wasn't smiling. It was beautiful to see that even after everything, he had taken advantage of his life and achieved his dreams.

“In fact, everything about him was beautiful. His sleepiness in the morning, his smile, his voice, his spirit, all of his quirks … everything.” He paused for a moment. “No, 'was' isn't right. He _is_ still beautiful, even now he has passed away. I know he is watching me right now. He's probably mad that I didn't rehearse a script for this, as I thought making one didn't suit how I just wanted to speak about him naturally.”

There were a few smiles of amusement over this, yet more tears were falling, too.

“I will miss him more than anything,” Sorey continued, his voice a little quieter. He could feel a single tear fall down his cheek, but he didn't wipe it away. “It hurts more than I can bear. But I'll move on, because there are people who need me. The best daughter I could wish for, who will achieve greatness just like her father. My beautiful friend Alisha, who knows of the pain I feel. And Muse,” he turned to her, smiling, “who raised Mikleo to be the best person he could have been. Thank you for bringing him into the world, and thank you for being such a wonderful mother to him. He's going to live on in you, in all of us, forever.”

Muse smiled back, tears trickling down her cheeks as she pulled Sorey into a hug. The familiar sound of applause at a funeral occurred once again, though Sorey didn't turn to face the crowd at first; he instead held a hand on the coffin for a moment. He wished that he could see Mikleo on this day. But he didn't have to see him to know that his eyes were on him from above.

“Was that okay?” Sorey whispered, his voice shaking. “Did I express how I feel enough?”

He was startled over Hope taking his hand, having not realised she had gotten out of her seat. She smiled at him, beautiful eyes glistening. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “You did. I mean, it's not like you could have explained everything. He's probably crying over you right now, anyway.”

Sorey smiled back. “But I didn't want him to cry anymore.”

“He is likely the same for you,” said Muse, wiping away his tears gently with her thumb. “He doesn't want any of us to cry. He wants us to live.”

Living seemed as though it might have been too painful without Mikleo by his side. Yet when he felt his daughter's arms around him, smell the scent of Muse which seemed so much like her son, see Alisha's kind and hurting eyes, he knew that he had reasons to live for. He had to continue living no matter how much it hurt.

After all, that is what Mikleo would have wanted for him more than anything else.

 

* * *

 

 

It was strange that such a serene and beautiful place could make one feel trapped. The Earth could not compare to the bliss of Heaven, with its crime, its pollution, starvation … yet at the same time, it held so much love, a love that he could not grasp whilst he was here and not there. Earth and Heaven were so different that comparing the two was difficult.

And yet, it was not as though he completely disliked his life among the afterlife. He was lonely. Painful loneliness clutched at his chest, compressing it and making him struggle to catch breath, or at least, it seemed to be this physical on occasion. When he rested, as soon as his eyes closed, he would see _him._ Sorey. With the closing of his own eyes, Sorey's would open, and he would feel an agonising pain from seeing them.

At first, Mikleo had questioned continuously as to why he had to stay here, why could he not just go to Earth and remain there for Sorey's life? After all, he had once trained to be his Guardian Angel. But each time, Lailah spoke to him calmly. She explained how painful it would be for his mother to see her son deceased, how after eighteen years of being able to embrace their love properly, him and Sorey would be trapped once again. He no longer belonged on Earth. His true home was in Heaven.

A few years later, he realised that he had accepted this. It was cruel, to be able to watch over Sorey yet not speak to him once. But he realised he was not alone. Lailah, Edna and Zaveid were frequent visitors, giving Mikleo updates on the lives of Muse, Sorey and Hope. Even though he knew of everything anyway, it was still a comfort to hear this in words.

It was not only these three friends which made him feel at home. He got on well with all of the angels, and was truly admired by all after his accomplishments. He managed to continue creating treats here to give to them, reminding him of his successful career, yet this was the least important thing he did. As a survivor of war and a skilled fighter, with his old magic restored, he taught the others how to fight in case there was another war. There were new angels who had missed the chaos of what had occurred with Heldalf, and in a world of peace had still not trained, and so Mikleo was one of the people to assist them.

Admittedly, it was a wonderful feeling to wield his powers once more. He hadn't missed them whilst being a human, yet somehow managed to feel as though he _had_ missed them once they returned. Perhaps it was the usefulness he felt upon wielding them, or how calm he felt when droplets formed from his fingertips. Yet most of all, he believed it was because it reminded him of the months he had fought by Sorey's side, conjuring artes with his staff to protect his lover, as his lover protected him. These memories hurt at first, yet forever cherished, they now brought him happiness. After all, he had to remain positive. He owed Sorey that much.

Sorey was making him feel proud each and every day. There had been nights in which Mikleo was desperate to reach out for him, for he'd be holding a pillow tightly against his chest, howling into it because who was he without Mikleo? How could he carry on living after having his loved one by his side for so many years?

It was heart-breaking to witness, and it was during his own breakdowns that Mikleo very almost went against his instruction to stay in Heaven and not speak to Sorey. It was incredibly difficult to not just throw away the life he had built in Heaven and instead rush to Sorey's side. Yet as time went on, it became easier for him at the same time it did so for Sorey.

The nights of crying reduced, Sorey instead focusing on the life he had to continue. Mikleo could not have imagined how hard it was for Sorey to watch Hope leave and go to university to study Religious Studies at eighteen, yet he pulled through. After all, it was likely just as wonderful as Sorey as it was for Mikleo to see her grow, to manage to go to university even after her ordeal with her father. She attended the university in Ladylake, meaning that the distance wasn't overly far, and it also meant that she was in one of the best universities which was offered for miles after miles.

As she attended her course, Sorey focused on his work, as close to Alisha as ever before and also growing closer to Sergei. He regularly visited Muse, still like a son to her, and at times, Mikleo also spotted Michael wandering around the Earth. Lonely and lost, perhaps, yet forever looking on.

Hope was soon to graduate, moving on to a Master's Degree before she at last walked in her father's footsteps in regards to teaching. She decided to do so back in Lastonbell so she was closer to Sorey and Muse – whilst they had saw each other over the years, Hope decided that she wanted to be closer. Now engaged to Angelus, who also taught at the same university, she had created a wonderful and successful life for herself. As years passed, she fell pregnant with a young girl who they named Azure, relating to how she had been told Mikleo wielded water, whilst her middle name was named after Muse, who saw this as a very great honour.

Muse herself was remaining admiringly strong. For a woman who witnessed her son die twice, she was doing far better than one could imagine. Perhaps what made it easier was how she had been prepared entirely the second time Mikleo passed away, unlike the first in which it was a sudden matter over a course of merely days. She had managed to see her son again when she believed it was impossible, which was likely what allowed her to be so strong.

She continued to run Mikleo's beloved bakery, even creating her own fan base online just like he did. People across the world showered her in appreciation, saying that they were both grateful and proud that she would continue her son's work after his passing. Losing what he had built was one of the regrets Mikleo had been certain he would have, and so to see what he had created for himself continuing to flourish meant the world to him. She also grew very close to Alisha, who was shining too.

Like Sorey, she was working harder than ever on the force, but not without also letting life have its enjoyments. She had dated on and off for years, never finding someone who mattered, before she realised that Sergei felt different to her. He could never truly replace Rose and was fully aware of that, yet soon becoming in a relationship with him gave her a joy she had not felt in years. She managed to let go of the guilt she felt for falling for another person, and instead embraced it, knowing that it is what Rose would have wanted.

Sorey did not do the same. The bond between him and Mikleo was different, transcending far above regular love. There was no way that he could ever feel even a small amount of satisfaction from being with another. Everything from dates and holding hands, to kisses and intimacy, just did not not appeal to him if he thought of doing those things with anything but Mikleo. It would never be the same again.

Mikleo wasn't sure whether or not he was happy about this. On one hand, he was glad that only he was Sorey's, that those lips would not kiss another. He did not think this was only because of being soul-mates; after all the years of living together, it wouldn't be right to see Sorey be with another. But on the other hand, which he knew was much less selfish, he would not have wanted to stop Sorey achieving happiness. It was not as though they would never be together again if Sorey _did_ end up being with another during their time apart, so Mikleo wouldn't hold it against Sorey if he had fallen for someone within the remainder of his life.

Edna asked about this one day, whilst she, Mikleo, Lailah and Zaveid were sat on lush grass in Elysia, staring out at the scenery before them.

“Would you stop him, somehow?” she questioned. “Like sending one of us?”

Mikleo shook his head, long white ponytail following it before it settled back against his back. “No, of course not. If that would make him happy, I would feel no need to stop it.”

“I can just imagine that being painful,” said Zaveid, frowning. Mikleo forced a smile at him before his eyes fixed back on a gentle stream in front of him.

“It would be,” he said quietly. “But at the same time, if that's what would be best for him, I wouldn't stand in his way.”

“Yet it's not,” said Lailah. “He talks about how much he misses you, even now. He's enjoying life with his family and friends, yet has no interest or desire to fall in love again.”

“I'm glad about that, but at the same time, he's almost fifty now. It feels … I'm not sure. A little heart-breaking to know that he will have no romance until he dies.”

“I don't think it is,” Zaveid commented. “After all, he cherishes his friends, right? And he's just waiting until he sees you again.”

Mikleo hummed, bringing his knees up to his chest. “That's true. I just hate the thought of him being lonely.”

“He might be like that at times, but generally, he's not,” said Lailah. “You've seen how much he spends time with others – humans and angels alike. He's definitely not lonely.”

“What about you though, Meebo?” Edna asked, her voice a little quiet. “How are you doing?”

His knees being brought a little closer to himself spoke for itself. Zaveid's arm was soon around his shoulders, the girls shifting closer themselves, as though even just a shorter distance between them right now would be a benefit to him.

“It's hard to think of what to say in regards to that,” said Zaveid, his hand circling around Mikleo's upper arm. “After all, it's not like I can say you won't stop missing him, as that's impossible. But Mikster, you're doing _so_ well for yourself, aren't you? You achieved a lot of shit as a human and you're doing the same now.”

“It's not like you're just sitting around being gloomy,” Edna continued. “You're making something of yourself here, even though you're dead. So it's okay to feel lonely, just remember that you're doing really well.”

“Thank you, guys,” Mikleo responded, allowing his head to rest against Zaveid's shoulder. “Sorry I'm a bit down today.”

“You have every right to have those days,” Lailah said reassuringly, smiling at him. “It's only normal.”

“Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I could just see him once. Would it help me, or would it only make things worse? Would it keep me going, or bring me to a stop completely?” Mikleo paused for a moment, a sad smile forming on his face, head still resting on Zaveid's shoulder. “Then I decided that it really would make it worse. If I spoke to Sorey again now, felt his lips against mine again, there would be no going back. I wouldn't be able to return here, not after being with him like that again.” He chuckled softly before he continued. “It took literal death to tear me away from him. Is that clingy?”

“Pretty damn clingy,” Edna said, all laughing for a moment before it quietened. “You know, the kind of strength you have in regards to Sorey reminds me of how I was with Eizen,” she then continued. “How I would do anything to make sure I was doing what's right, even if it means me getting hurt.”

“Is there any sign of him being reincarnated, yet?” Mikleo asked, now raising his head off Zaveid's shoulder.

“Not yet.”

“Even when he _is_ reincarnated, he will be a lot different. A devil's soul becomes incredibly tarnished.” Lailah let out a sigh, looking guilty. “I'm sorry, Edna.”

“No, it's fine. There's no point in hiding the truth.” A smirk grew on her face. “Plus, doesn't Zaveid need more sympathy than he's getting?”

He looked confused. “I know I was his best friend, but you were his _sister.”_

“Yeah, but you had a total crush on him, didn't you?”

Lailah and Mikleo burst out laughing at the expression on Zaveid's face; it was of utter surprise, with a little confusion still there.

“Edna,” he said slowly. “I talk about breasts all the time. I flirt with the gorgeous Lailah here.”

“You can like more than one gender.”

“Exactly,” Mikleo contributed. “Sorey does.”

“But _I_ don't! Sheesh, guys.”

“Sorry. I've lived all these centuries thinking that you really did want to bang him.”

“… Seriously?”

“Yup.”

Unable to tell if she was joking or not, Zaveid sighed, shaking his head. “You get worse.”

“So did your homosexual tendencies towards my brother.”

“I did _not_ have sexual tendencies towards Eizen!”

The sentence sounded so desperate that even he ended up laughing with the others. His mood feeling fairly brighter once again, Mikleo wiped away a tear which had formed in his left eye, body still shaking from laughter.

Every single moment of his waiting often seemed less painful when he was with his loved ones. He could hardly wait, however, to be laughing like this with Sorey once again.

 

* * *

 

 

One day, he received the news that would bring him grief, despite how it would mean that he would finally lose his loneliness. Once Sorey was at age fifty-seven, Lailah sat Mikleo down and gave him the news of what she had felt when she spoke to Sorey. She had been able to sense that his death was drawing near – whether it would be months or years, she did not know. But it would arrive sooner rather than later.

Even though this would mean he would be reunited with Sorey, Mikleo was not glad to hear about this. He had hoped that Sorey would live a long life with his family, especially now he had two grandchildren as opposed to one. Even if it would have meant Mikleo hanging on for longer, it would have at least meant that Sorey would have got the years he deserved.

But why was Sorey going to die this young? He was perfectly healthy and always had been. He appeared young for his age and still had a fit physique from both his job and also exercise outside of it, so Mikleo doubted it'd be disease. Though there _was_ a slim possibility of it being so, meaning that he was unsure of what might happen.

What did end up happening to cause his death only seemed accurate for the type of person he was, and from how no one stepped forward to put a stop to this, it was clear that it was the moment in which he had to die.

Working on the police force was a dangerous job. It meant that each step you took had to be done so with precaution, knowing that your life was always on the line. Yet no matter how careful you were or how skilled you were, there was still a chance of you falling. Sorey experienced this first hand when during a raid, two bullets had shot through his stomach, screams from Alisha and Sergei seeming distant in his ears.

The bullets had managed to not kill him straight away; with crimson staining his shirt and blood being coughed from his mouth, the world had become a blur around him as his mind fell in and out of consciousness. Once moment he was being carried on a stretcher, the next he was in an ambulance before finally, he was in a hospital, Hope clinging onto his hand, Muse standing behind her with her hands on her shoulders, now at an elderly age, cruel compared to the younger ages in which Mikleo had been taken at, and Sorey was waiting to do so. Both were crying. It was those tears which confirmed what Sorey probably already knew; there wasn't enough time to stop the blood and replenish it. Even now, he could feel death reaching to embrace him, yet it didn't do so before his daughter spoke to him.

“I love you, okay?” she said shakily, calmer than one would expect, trying to smile through her tears. “Always, even after this.”

“And I l-love you, too.”

“You'll be with Mikleo again,” Muse said softly, stroking Sorey's hair. “It's not the end for us, either. We'll meet again.”

Sorey managed to smile at her, even though his vision was darkening. Too weak to say anything more, he could only think about the words he _wanted_ to say. How he was grateful to Muse for continuing Mikleo's legacy until she had no choice but to retire ten years ago, how much of a strong woman Hope was, how much he adored his grandchildren and hoped that they would move on from this without too much despair … yet he could only smile, before his eyes closed and he gave in to the darkness.

The world was no longer dark when his eyes opened again; it was the opposite, the pure white which he had experienced multiples times whilst Armatizing. He knew that this was the stage between life and death.

Calm and peaceful, he did not feel fear at all standing here. The blankness of the world caused him to imagine a new life being written for him. That new life would be for him and Mikleo, joined together once again.

“Mikleo,” he suddenly said quietly, remembering who else should be here. “Mikleo, are you there?”

“Honestly,” responded the voice which he had not heard in over two decades. “After saving the world, you got killed by a _gun?_ Give me a break.”

Sorey laughed, turning around at the sound of the voice. Even if he had known who it had belonged to, he still stared at the figures of Mikleo and Lailah in disbelief. The next moment, he had Mikleo throwing himself at him, spinning them into a hug.

“The first words you said to me were mean ones,” Sorey said to the head resting on his shoulder, smiling with amusement. “How about 'I missed you so much', or something nice like that?”

“You don't need to be told I missed you, idiot,” Mikleo said, his hold growing tighter. “Isn't it obvious?”

“Yeah,” Sorey laughed lightly. “Maybe a little. I missed you, too.”

The hold lasted for what seemed to be an endless amount of time; in this world, time really _did_ seem as though it did not exist, allowing them to embrace each other for however long they wanted. Lailah did not break up this hug, either; she simply watched with a smile, tears welling in her eyes.

“Your hair looks amazing,” Sorey said eventually as he parted away gently, taking a few strands in his fingers, warm tears falling from both of their eyes. “I've kept imagining what it would look like both long _and_ with your angel colours.”

“Pervert.”

Sorey blinked. “What?”

“Holding a man who is this much younger than you.”

“Oh, come on! We're basically the same age!”

Mikleo burst out laughing, Sorey unable to resist joining in before long. “Thank you, anyway,” Mikleo smiled. “You're still looking pretty young. It's a shame you got stabbed; I would've _loved_ to tease you about only having grey hair.”

“That's so unfair. And hey, I just died! Show a bit more sympathy, won't you?”

“I've died twice, I can't really be that sympathetic.” His expression softened. “I really have missed you. I've been watching over you this whole time.”

“Lailah told me about that,” Sorey said, glancing to her for a moment. “She also told me about all you've done in Heaven. I'm proud of you for that.”

“I had to do something while I waited. You should be proud of yourself, too.” Mikleo's smile faded. “And then there's Hope. She's turned out to be wonderful, and I … I can't stand that she's lost you, too.”

Sorey closed his eyes for a moment, remembering his daughter's crying face, before he forced a smile. “She'll be fine,” he said. “After all, she's always been strong.”

Mikleo nodded. “That's true. She's achieved so much, I've seen everything.”

“How much did you watch over us?” Sorey asked quietly.

“Not a day went by when I didn't. My mother too, and Alisha, Sergei … everyone.”

“All this time?”

“Of course.”

Sorey smiled. “Thank you.”

“There's no need to thank me.”

“Does … dying hurt?”

Mikleo shook his head. “It's just like falling asleep and waking up again in a new life.”

“Both of your suffering is over,” Lailah spoke softly, Sorey and Mikleo turning to her. She took one of their hands in hers, smiling at the warmth. “Ever since I saw you both for the first time, I knew what would happen between you. There was already a bond there, and we just knew that you would fall in love. Even as children, you both seemed to share a love that no other children your age was blessed with – of course, they had love, but not one as unique as special as you both share.”

Her eyes grew upset, and she let out a sigh.

“Of course, I never realised just how much suffering the two of you would go through. I knew that if Sorey would indeed become the Shepherd, then it would of course bring struggles and burdens. Yet I would never imagine the extent of it. The image of seeing you both injured the day you had been tortured still haunts me. I never protected you as much as I wanted to.”

Sorey squeezed the hand holding his gently. “You did far more than you're giving yourself credit for,” he said. “Don't you remember how you saved us from hellions that day? Or how you've guided us through all the time of me becoming a Shepherd?”

“You retaught me everything after I lost my memories, and then you even helped Sorey and I embrace our love for each other,” Mikleo added, smiling. “How have you not protected us enough?”

Lailah smiled back, clearly touched by their words. “That is a relief to hear. I truly do love you both.” She looked away from them, at the white beyond. “I cannot say what will happen to you from here on out,” she continued. “After all, reincarnation can be difficult to be precise. Whilst it's possible that you will be born again right near each other, there is every possibility that you will also be on separate ends of the Earth.”

“It's all right,” said Sorey, eyes averting to Mikleo for a moment. “I will always, _always_ find you.”

“As will I with you.”

“Your souls will always yearn for each other when you are apart, so that will be the case.” Suddenly, there were tears welling in her eyes, and she threw her arms around them both, causing them to stumble back a little before the three were hugging her. “I will miss you,” she gasped out through her sobs, “and I will watch over you for all of your lives, like I did before. I will never stop being there.”

Even though the three would have loved to stay here in each other's embrace, continue to cherish the moments in which they were together, they could feel that they no longer had time to linger here. Lailah pulled back gently, taking their hands once again as she walked them forward. Even though the world was pure white, they could sense in their hearts that they were being led somewhere, to a place beyond this blankness. A place where they would once again find each other, love and protect one another, in a life where they would not be stopped by calamity.

Death had never been the end for Mikleo. It had granted him a life which had brought him to this moment, given him a love that would never shatter, no matter what tried to break it. Now, it was bringing him a new beginning, a new life for him to find and love Sorey.

It was fate that no matter what happened, they would be reunited over and over again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we have it. 
> 
> Thank you so, SO much for sticking with this story and for supporting me along the way. I never imagined it to get this long, nor did I imagine to get this much kudos and this many hits. I really do appreciate it!
> 
> As there was so many moments I wanted to include in this fic but never got chance, I would love to make a fic which is basically made up of oneshots of those moments. Would anyone be interested in that? Let me know, along with your thoughts on this chapter or the fic in general!
> 
> Thank you again for reading, I truly do hope that you enjoyed it.


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